FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER grilled salmon with black beans

         GRILLED SALMON with BLACK BEANS and PIMENT D'ESPELETTE
                                                       MAYONNAISE
                         by Lora Zarubin, adapted from Bon Appétit | May 2010

• 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves; 2 pressed, 3 minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel, preferably organic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/3 that amount dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt plus additional for seasoning
• 6 7-ounce salmon fillets with skin on
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped plum tomatoes (I substituted chopped grape tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño chiles with seeds (seeds optional)
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray (I felt this was unnecessary.  Use if you want)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus leaves for garnish
• Piment d'Espelette Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

1.  Whisk 1/3 cup olive oil, pressed garlic, lemon peel, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in small bowl.  Place fish, skin side down, in a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish,  Brush marinade over top and sides of fish.  Cover; chill at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
2.  Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery, tomatoes, chiles, and minced garlic.  Sauté until vegetables are just soft, about 5 minutes.  Mix in black beans and cumin.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.  DO AHEAD:  Can be made 2 hours ahead; let stand at room temperature.
3.  Spray grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).  (I thought there was enough oil on the fish that I did not need to spray the grill rack.  Also, I used a lower heat when grilling the salmon.)  Arrange fish, skin side up, on rack.  Spray skin.  Grill fish 4 to 5 minutes; turn over.  Grill until fish is just opaque in the center.
4.  Rewarm beans with 1/4 cup water over medium heat; mix in chopped cilantro.  Place 1/2 cup beans on each plate; top with fish and dollop of Piment d'Espelette Mayonnaise; garnish with cilantro leaves.

                                     Piment d'Espelette Mayonnaise
                                    by Lora Zarubin, from Bon Appétit | May 2010

• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel, organic if possible
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon piment d'Espelette*
•   Coarse sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

*  The mildly spicy piment d'Espelette is a French chili powder. It's available at specialty foods stores and from zingermans.com.  A hot paprika or New Mexico red chile powder can also be substituted.

1.  Combine shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, and lime peel in medium bowl.  Cover; let stand 30 minutes.  Whisk in mayonnaise and piment d'Espelette.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover; chill 2 hours.  DO AHEAD:  Can be made 1 day ahead.  Keep chilled.

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