Preheat oven to 375ºF.  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 mush of the skins as possible. Finely chop hazelnuts using food processor, nuts grinder or chef's knife.
Increase oven temperature to 450ºF.   Place salmon in baking dish. Combine apple butter, mustard, thyme and pepper in small bowl. Brush on salmon, top each steak with nuts. Bake 14 - 16 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork. Serve with rice and steamed snow peas., if desired. Makes 4 servings