Crab-Stuffed Salmon Fillets

Ahhhhhhh!!!!... We just got home from a week long vacation last night and I feel so relaxed. We had an amazing time and I definitely was not ready for it to be over, but after we got home I got excited to get back in the kitchen!

This recipe was terrific! It hardly took any time at all to put together, and the flavor was outstanding! I love the combination of crab meat and salmon. They compliment each other so well, and this crab filling had a lot of flavor to it. The recipe has you save some of the crab filling and add it to the side of the plate at the end, and I enjoyed having the contrast of warm crab meat in the salmon and cold crab meat on the side. The sauce also added a great dynamic to the meal and paired really well with the fish.

Since we already had the grill going, I decided to grill some asparagus also. I LOVE grilled asparagus! I keep it very simple. All I did was brush a little olive oil over the asparagus and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. I placed them directly on the grill for 6-8 minutes, turning them half way through. They may take less time depending on how hot your grill is. They turn out so good cooking them this way and it is such an easy side dish to fix for any meal.

A few notes from the cookbook: 1) Crème fraîche is made from heavy cream with the addition of buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt. It has a slightly tangy, nutty flavor and velvety rich texture. Sour cream can be substituted for crème fraîche in this recipe, if desired, but substitute milk for the lemon juice in the sauce, and 2) For easiest filling and most even grilling, purchase center-cut salmon fillets that are 1 1/2 in. thick.

Enjoy!

Crab-Stuffed Salmon Fillets
Pampered Chef Great Grilling Recipes
Published by The Pampered Chef in 2012.

Prep time: 15 minutes  Grill time: 6-8 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

Sauce
1 lemon 1/4 cup crème fraîche
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill weed
1 1/2 tsp drained capers, finely chopped

Filling & Salmon
1/4 cup crème fraîche
2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill weed
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp lemon zest reserved from sauce
1 can (6.5 oz) lump crabmeat, drained
4 center-cut salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin removed
1/2 tsp each salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1. Zest lemon using Microplane Zester to measure 1 tsp; set aside for later use. For sauce, juice lemon with Juicer to measure 1 tbsp. Combine juice, crème fraîche, dill and capers in (1-cup) Prep Bowl; stir until blended and set aside.
2. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. For filling, combine crème fraîche, green onions, dill, pressed garlic and lemon zest reserved from sauce in Small Batter Bowl; mix well with Small Mix 'N Scraper. Gently stir in crabmeat. Place 1/4 cup of the filling in (1-cup) Prep Bowl; set aside for serving alongside salmon. Using Boning Knife, create a pocket in each salmon fillet by slicing into the side of each fillet. (Do not cut all the way through the fillet.) Spoon remaining filling evenly into each fillet. Season salmon with salt and black pepper.
3. Place salmon on grid of grill, covered, 3-4 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn salmon over with BBQ Flexible Turner; grill an additional 3-4 minutes or until internal temperature of filling reaches 145°F and salmon flakes easily with a fork. Remove salmon from the grill. Serve with sauce and reserved filling.