Salmon Stuffed with Arugula

This is a showpiece dinner-party salmon, stuffed and roasted whole with a bright peppery filling of arugula, crushed garlic, shredded carrot, and ripe red currants. The tart pop of the berries against the rich oily fish is what makes this recipe sing.

The clever move is saving the salmon skin and crisping it separately in schmaltz, rendered chicken fat, which keeps the presentation dramatic and adds a second texture to the plate. The fat also carries the garlic and carrot saute for the stuffing, giving it an almost confit-like depth.

Honey gets used twice: once in the stuffing with the carrot to bring sweetness that balances the assertive arugula, and again as a glaze brushed over the fish just before browning. A splash of white wine at the finish forms the pan sauce while the salmon takes on color.

Pro Tips

• Rub salt over the fish and let stand for an hour before cooking, this firms the flesh and seasons it from the inside out.
• Use fresh, peppery arugula, baby arugula is milder but wilts too quickly under the heat and can turn to mush.
• If you can’t find red currants, pomegranate seeds or fresh cranberries make good substitutes for that bright tart pop.
• Bake covered for the first 15 minutes per pound to steam the fish through, then uncover and brown to build color without drying the flesh.
• Pull the salmon when the center just flakes, carryover cooking finishes it off the heat.

Variations

• Use trout or arctic char instead of salmon for a smaller, one-person version.
• Swap schmaltz for butter or duck fat if chicken fat is hard to find.
• Add a handful of toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts to the stuffing for crunch.