Cedar Plank Salmon with Roasted Eggplant

September 19th I tell you what, the weather is finally letting up a little bit allowing me to use my grill without bursting into flames. Tonight was the first time in awhile I cooked outside, and it felt really good. While most people think that the best time to grill is in the summer, I find that I would rather be chilly while working over an open flame. The grill serves as an oven and an outdoor fireplace, it's nice. So in honor of the first minor vestiges of winter, I made cedar plank salmon with grilled eggplant. First, take the cedar plank and soak it for at least 2 hours, the longer the better. You don't want the wood to burst into flames the minute you start cooking, unless you are looking for blackened salmon, which I wouldn't suggest. Here are the ingredients for the salmon: 2 dinner sized salmon fillets Brown sugar Dijon mustard Salt pepper All you have to do is spread the mustard all over the salmon, then top with some brown sugar and salt and pepper. The skin side of the salmon will be on the plank, and the fish will flake right off, so no worries. Done, well, except for the cooking part. For the Eggplant: Take one eggplant (duh) and cut the ends, then slice the rest crosswise about 3/4 inch think. In a small bowl add . . . 3 tbs of Extra virgin olive oil salt pepper 2 tsps of freshly chopped oregano 2 garlic cloves minced Mix that all up and brush over the cut eggplant. Heat the grill to medium and place the cedar plank with salmon on top on a rack above the heat. You can place it directly on the grill, but make sure you have a water bottle handy in case the wood starts to catch fire. Close the lid and cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temp is 135. With 10 minutes left for the salmon, take the prepared eggplant and put directly on the grill for 4-5 minutes a side. As a nice salad, I took two vine-ripened tomatoes and cut them into rounds. I topped that with sliced fresh mozzarella and chopped fresh basil. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper and serve alongside the hot food.