SALMON STUFFED WITH MASCARPONE AND ARUGULA



This recipe is modified from Bon Appetit. I used arugula instead of spinach and didn't cook it first. For the breadcrumb topping, I used olive oil instead of butter and used less breadcrumbs than called for by the recipe. I also only used six 6 to 8 ounce fillets. Because it can be difficult to stuff the fillets, I stuffed them as I could and then placed the rest of the stuffing on top of the fillets and then topped them off with the breadcrumb mixture.

Ingredients:

10 ounces fresh arugula leaves
1/2 cup cream cheese (about 4 ounces), room temperature
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
8 6- to 8-ounce salmon fillets with skin (each about 1 inch thick)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (from French bread with crust) or 1 1/2 cups of italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Finely chop the arugula in a food processor. Place in small bowl. Mix in cream cheese and mascarpone. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut one 3/4-inch-deep, 2 1/2-inch-long slit down center of top side of each salmon fillet, forming pocket for spinach mixture. Fill each slit with cheese mixture, dividing equally among salmon fillets. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with olive oil. Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Mix breadcrumbs, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Top each salmon fillet with breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in dish. Bake salmon until opaque in center, about 12 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.