Description
Elevate salmon night with these luxurious fillets: buttery crab and shrimp filling laced with herbs and citrus, nestled into flaky salmon and baked until just tender. Serve with a lemon-butter drizzle for an elegant, restaurant-worthy dinner that’s surprisingly easy to assemble.
Ingredients
For the Seafood Filling
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6 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells
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6 oz cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
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3 oz cream cheese, softened
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2 Tbsp mayonnaise
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1 tsp Dijon mustard
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1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
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Zest of ½ lemon
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1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives (or green onion)
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1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
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¼ tsp Old Bay seasoning (or ½ tsp seafood seasoning)
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Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Salmon
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4 (6–8 oz) salmon fillets, skin removed (about 1½ lbs total)
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1 Tbsp olive oil
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Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1 tsp lemon zest (from ½ lemon)
For the Lemon-Butter Drizzle
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2 Tbsp unsalted butter
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1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
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Pinch of salt
To Serve (optional)
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Lemon wedges
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Extra chopped parsley or chives
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat & prep:
Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease with oil.
2️⃣ Make the filling:
In a medium bowl, gently fold together crab meat, chopped shrimp, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, parsley, and Old Bay. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3️⃣ Prepare salmon pockets:
Pat salmon fillets dry. Use a small, sharp knife to cut a horizontal pocket into the thickest side of each fillet, forming a cavity without cutting through.
4️⃣ Season the fillets:
Rub each fillet inside and out with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
5️⃣ Stuff the salmon:
Spoon about ¼ of the seafood filling into each salmon pocket, pressing gently to secure. If needed, use a toothpick to close the opening.
6️⃣ Bake:
Arrange stuffed fillets on the prepared sheet, spacing evenly. Bake 14–18 minutes, until salmon is just opaque at the center (internal temp 125–130 °F/52–54 °C) and filling is warmed through.
7️⃣ Make the drizzle:
While salmon bakes, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in lemon juice and a pinch of salt, then keep warm.
8️⃣ Finish & serve:
Drizzle the lemon-butter over each fillet. Garnish with lemon wedges and extra herbs. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.
Notes
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Make-Ahead: Prepare the filling up to 1 day ahead; keep chilled. Stuff and bake just before serving.
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Herb Variations: Swap chives/parsley for tarragon or dill for a different flavor.
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Spicy Kick: Add ¼ tsp cayenne or a dash of hot sauce to the filling.
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Pan-Sear Option: For extra color, sear fillets 2 minutes on each side in a hot skillet before baking (then reduce oven time by 2–3 minutes).
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- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 18 min