Stuffed Salmon

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine the rice, imitation crabmeat, softened cream cheese, melted butter and minced garlic. Add the dried basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, rosemary and celery seed. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula or large spoon until well combined. Editor’s Tip: You can make the filling up to two days in advance, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before using it to make it easier to stuff into the salmon. To crush the rosemary and celery seed, use a mortar and pestle, or press down on the spices with the back of a chef’s knife. You don't need to pulverize them into dust; a light crushing is enough to bring out their aromatic flavor.

2. Stage

Working with one fillet at a time, place the salmon on a cutting board (facing skin side down if using skin-on salmon). Position a sharp knife, such as a paring knife, on the side of the fillet, and cut a pocket horizontally into the salmon. Start about 1/2 inch from one edge of the fillet, and cut to 1/2 inch of the opposite side. Be careful not to cut all the way through the fillet. Use your thumb to gently pry open the pocket in the fillet. Spoon enough crab filling into the pocket until it's full. Place a toothpick through the center of the pocket to secure the filling in place. Editor’s Tip: Make sure you cut the pocket right into the center of the fillet. That keeps the bottom and top sections to the same thickness for even cooking.

3. Stage

Arrange the stuffed salmon fillets on two greased 15x10x1-inch baking pans. Brush the fillets with oil, and sprinkle with dill and salt. Bake until a thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing reads 165°, 18 to 22 minutes. Discard the toothpicks before serving. If desired, serve the salmon with lemon wedges to add a refreshing citrusy finish. Editor’s Tip: We would normally recommend food-safe cooking temperatures of 145° for salmon. However, the temperature requirements are higher for recipes with stuffing. This is especially true of carbohydrate-based stuffing with bread or rice, as the stuffing can slow down the cooking process of the adjacent meat.