Pasta With Smoked Salmon

RECIPE UPDATE: this recipe first appeared Aug. 8th, 2007 (14 years ago). I’ve simplified the recipe compared to the original. I was probably trying to be “cheffy” with an excessive amount of ingredients. The dish contains heavy cream and with such a forward ingredient as smoked salmon, I’ve omitted cheese.

Years ago, back in my banking days, my colleagues and I had our local drinking hole. It was called W.C. Fields. It was a two-story bar/restaurant. It was part sports bar, part lounge, part dining room. The owner was generous with the shots but theme was all over the map.

Back then, he (the owner) was really into the Food Network and at this time it was early in the network’s existence. I remember having drinks, venting about work and hearing Emeril yell, “BAM, BAM, BAM” on the TV screen.

Everyday, the owner would try a new recipe he saw on the TV and try it as a “special of the day”. Some worked, most didn’t. I remember once he featured Risotto…with long-grain rice…who knew back then about arborio rice?

My point is, we’ve come along way with new ingredients and new or unusual food pairings. Experiment. Don’t be afraid to try new combinations, new ingredients. Try them simply first then try your kitchen experiments.

This Smoked Salmon pasta was a special at W.C. Fields and it’s my ode to those early Food Network days, when world of food was opened wide for many of us.

Pasta With Smoked Salmon Cream Sauce 

(serves 4)

250 gr. pasta (trecce, farfalle or your favourit

4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine

1 shot of Ouzo
1 cup heavy cream

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup fresh or frozen peas (or chopped asparagus or wilted baby spinach)

1/3/ cup finely chopped fresh dill
about 12 slices of smoked salmon, cut into bite sized pieces (reserve some for garnish)

salt and pepper to taste

 

1. In a large pot, get some water boiling. Add salt and boil your pasta as per package instructions.
2. In a large skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat and soon after add your onions, garlic to soften for about 5 minutes.
3. Add wine and reduce until almost no liquid is left. Add Ouzo, flambe and as soon as the alcohol cooks off, add the cream and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until sauce has thickened. sauce and allow it to cook through for about 5 minutes. Check for seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste.
4. When your pasta is done, add to sauce along with peas, lemon zest and juice and toss (reserve some pasta water in case needed)
5. Add chopped smoked salmon, dill, toss and divide and plate. Top each plate with a mound of smoked salmon.