Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Salad

Maria Hines, head Chef at Seattle's Tilth Restaurant, serves this refreshing, hot and chilled salmon dish with a side of couscous seasoned with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and grilled cucumber slices.
Prepare the sauce: combine yogurt, dill, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until tender.Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (about 450 °).Preparation of the salad: Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into paper-thick strips, preferably with a mandolin. Place in a bowl with the herbs and shallots; refrigerate until tender. In another bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper; set aside the dressing.Prepare the salmon: rub it on all sides with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold into 12-by-20-inch pieces. cut a sheet of thick foil crosswise in half. Use the tip of a knife to cut dime-sized holes in the foil, about 2 inches apart. Brush one side of the foil with oil.Place the foil, greased side up, on a wire rack for cooking. Place the fillet, slightly separated, skin side down, on the foil. Cook on the grill, covered, until the fish is almost cooked through, 7 to 12 minutes. Using a wide spatula, transfer the fish and skin to a platter and cover with foil. If you want the skin to be crispy, continue cooking the skin on the foil until crisp for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the foil from the grill, then carefully remove the skin using your fingers or a wide spatula (the skin may break into pieces).Place the crispy skin on plates, if using, and arrange the salmon on top. Drain all the liquid from the cucumber mixture into a bowl, then quickly mix the mixture with the dressing and place it in a pile on top of the fish. Garnish with sprigs of fresh dill. Serve immediately with yogurt sauce (the salmon skin will soften while it's still standing).Note: A nutritional analysis is provided for each serving.