PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place hazelnuts on baking sheet; bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Quickly transfer nuts to clean dry dish towel. Fold towel over nuts; rub vigorously to remove as much of skins as possible. Using food processor, finely chop hazelnuts.
2. Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Place salmon in single layer in baking dish. Combine apple butter, mustard, thyme and pepper in small bowl. Brush onto salmon; top each steak with hazelnuts. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with fork. Serve with herbed rice and steamed sugar snap peas, if desired.