Miso Maple Salmon à la Nobu

Steps

1. 1Make the brinerade. In a coffee cup, mix the miso, syrup, and hot sauce with a fork.
2. 2Gash and paint. With a very sharp knife, gash the meat side of the fish by drawing the blade across it every 3/4 to 1 inch, making cross hatches about halfway through the meat. This will help the brinerade penetrate. With a brush or spoon, spread the brinerade on the fish making sure to get it into the gashes. Place the fish on a plate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, and every 30 minutes or so paint it again.
3. 3Fire up. Set up the grill for 2-zone cooking but keep the heat energy down on the direct heat side. Do not oil the grates (or the fish). Lift up the grate over the heat source and toss some dried herbs, pellets, wood chips, or sawdust on the coals or burners.
4. 4Smoke and serve. As soon as you see smoke, lay the fish skin-side down on the grate above the smoke source and place a metal pan upside down over the fish to trap the smoke. Close the lid. After about 5 minutes, take the temperature of the meat just below the top surface. The bottom near the skin will be hotter than the top. When the top layer hits 125° to 130°F, remove the fish from the heat. The skin may stick to the grate. Great! If not, you should be able to peel it off easily or, what the heck, just serve it and let your guests eat off the half shell. Garnish with the pickled ginger.