Baked Stuffed Salmon

Serves

5 - 6

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter (softened)
2 Tbsp butter (chilled)
2 Cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 19 oz (498 ml) can unsalted diced tomatoes or 6 fresh that have been peeled and chopped
1/4 Tsp dried thyme or 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/8 Tsp white sugar
5 - 6lb salmon cleaned & scaled with head and tail left on (or 2 large salmon fillets that are approximately the same size)
2 1/2 Tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 firm ripe tomatoes (sliced into 1 inch slices)
1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
1 red or green or yellow sweet pepper (seeded and cut lengthwise into strips and cut in half again)
2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley (or 2 tsp dried parsley)
3 Slices bacon (which have been partially cooked and cut in half)


Preheat oven to 425 °F . With pastry brush, brush softened butter on a Pyrex pan, that is large enough to hold the salmon. Melt 2 remaining tbsp in 2 to 3 quart pot. When foam subsides add garlic and stir 1 minute. Then add chopped tomatoes, thyme, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt and few grindings of pepper. Stir from time to time until thick enough to coat back of spoon. Taste for seasoning and remove from the heat.

Rinse salmon under water and pat dry inside and out with paper towels. De-bone salmon if it is not already done. Combine lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and rub inside salmon. Let salmon rest at room temperature.

Saute the sliced onion in a little bit of olive oil until it is softened. Combine the onion, green (or red or yellow) pepper chunks, parsley, rest of salt and liberal grinding of black pepper. Toss together gently., Lay the tomato along the one side of the cavity and then gently but firmly stuff salmon with the onion/pepper mixture. Sew closed with poultry needle and cotton twine.

Place salmon in dish. With a knife make about 6 slits across the fish, ½ inch down. Insert bacon or just place bacon across the fish. Spoon tomato sauce over salmon.

Bake uncovered, basting from time to time. In 40 to 50 minutes,(for sewn together filets, it may only take about 30 -35 minutes) the salmon should be firm when pressed with finger and white should be forming along edge. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before cutting into slices.