Salmon & olive pasta - a nice change from tomato sauce.

 

SALMON & OLIVE PASTA

Served 3 

Ingredients :

1 tablespoonful of olive oil

20g butter

3 large banana shallots, halved and sliced finely

Sea salt

White pepper

1 lemon, zested

Half a lemon, juiced

15 or more green olives (in brine) halved

3 dessertspoonfuls of rinsed capers

As much as you enjoy, chopped fresh dill (save some for decoration)

Your choice of dry pasta shapes (I used approx 200g)

Half a teaspoonful of vegetable stock powder

Your favourite good quality extra virgin olive oil  (I used one from Puglia)

3 skinned and rinsed fresh salmon fillets

Three tablespoonfuls of frozen peas.

Method :

Fill a decent sized saucepan with cold water and add a big old pinch of sea salt.  Place on the heat to boil.

Add the butter and olive oil and once the butter has melted, add the shallots, a pinch of sea salt and some white pepper.  On a medium heat, fry and stir, fry and stir until the shallots are beginning to take on a golden colour.

Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive halves, capers and fresh dill and stir through.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the pasta water is boiling, add the dry pasta and cook for the manufacturer's recommended time - then carry on cooking, because they never get it flipping right.  Add the peas for the last few minutes and cook until the pasta is either al dente or to your liking, then drain and set aside to keep warm.

Bring the contents of the frying pan back up to heat and add sufficient extra virgin olive oil to comfortably coat the pasta.  Add a little cold water and the vegetable stock powder and stir through until simmering.  Push everything over to the one side and add the salmon fillets in the gap.  Place a lid over the pan and gently cook the salmon until just firm, then remove the fillets out onto a warmed plate and put to one side to stay warm (under the grill works for me).  Add the drained pasta to the frying pan and stir through until the pasta is well coated with the flavoured oil.

Dish the pasta up into warmed bowls and add the salmon fillets on top.  Sprinkle the reserved dill over, to make it look pretty.  (I forgot this bit when I made it).

Serve with oven baked garlic bread, if you can remember to put the blinking stuff in the oven in time.  I rarely do.

Ta daaa!  There you are - a relatively healthy dinner.  Aren't you impressed?  lol