Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place hazelnuts on baking sheet; bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Quickly transfer nuts to clean dry dish towel. Fold towel; rub vigorously to remove as much of the skins as possible. Finely chop hazelnuts using food processor, nut grinder or chefs knife.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Place salmon in baking dish. Combine apple butter, mustard, thyme and pepper in small bowl. Brush on salmon; top each with nuts.

Bake, nut-side up, 14 to 16 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve over rice.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Comments: In the U.S., hazelnuts (also called filberts) are grown almost exclusively in Oregon, and a single tree will yield nuts for hundreds of years. The skins are bitter, so it is best to remove them.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.