Stuffed Salmon with Fennel and Citrus

I learned two things tonight, first you really can't go wrong by stuffing a beautiful freshly caught salmon and second, it's actually really cool deboning the fish. You can always get your fish monger to do the work for you but if you're up for it, just use a really sharp knife and follow the bones with your knife.

I was always a little nonchalant about stuffing fish perhaps because I've never really had a stuffed salmon I liked. I've always found them to be somewhat bland. So I figured that maybe by using a combination of intense flavours preceded by a healthy dose of seasoning that we just might be able to overcome my past dilemma.

Sure enough, this is all it really takes, well, it doesn't hurt to slow smoke the salmon over mesquite wood either but I'm sure roasting it in the oven would be delicious as well. Given that since it's salmon time and I currently have 6 whole salmon in my freezer, an experiment in the oven is on the agenda.

RECIPE:
1 whole salmon, cleaned and deboned
1 bulb fennel, sliced thinly (use the green herb on the top too)
1 small onion, sliced thinly
1 lemon, sliced thinly
1 orange, sliced thinly
handful of parsley
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the grill. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the garlic all over the fish. Place a layer of fennel, followed by the onion, lemon, orange and parsley. Using butchers twine, tie the salmon closed. Place the salmon directly on the grill, cover and cook for about 25 minutes. Remove from the grill, cut the twine, carefully remove the stuffed ingredients and cut the salmon into fillets.