Salmon over pasta with broccoli rabe & red peppers
As I’m sure we’ve already mentioned, unless you plan to make your own pasta, Fratelli Setaro makes the best commercially available product. Among some of our favorite shapes are the fusilli lunghi (as pictured above), a long and curly pasta. Add to that several other favorite ingredients – like the nutty, deliciously bitter, and pungent rapini (aka broccoli rabe), nicely balanced by sweet peppers – and, voilá, you have a perfect dinner for two!
Ingredients:
~ ½ to ¾ lb fresh salmon filet, skin on
~ 1 bunch broccoli rabe, hard stems cut off (I save them for soups), washed and dried thoroughly in a salad spinner
~ 1 small sweet red pepper, cut into thin circular slices
~ ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
~ 4 cloves garlic, minced
~ 3 Tbsp olive oil for sautéing broccoli rabe
~ 3 Tbsp canola oil for sautéing salmon
~ 2 servings (small bunches) of fusilli long pasta
~ Salt & Pepper to taste, preferably fresh ground
~ Grated parmigiano or pecorino cheese (optional)
For the sauce:
~ 1 shallot, finely chopped
~ juice of 2 lemons
~ 1 slice white bread (crust removed), torn/cut into pieces and soaked in milk
~ ½ cup white wine
~ ½ cup fish stock
~ 2 Tbsp half & half
~ 1 Tbsp olive oil for sautéing shallots
~ 1 bay leaf
~ 8-12 peppercorns
~ 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
Preparation:
While the water is boiling for the pasta, sauté the shallot in a small saucepan in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the white wine, fish stock, lemon juice, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Wring out any excess milk from the soaked bread and add the bread to the sauce pan (it will act like a panade and thicken the sauce.) Continue to simmer for another minute or so. Remove sauce from heat and discard the bay leaf. Transfer sauce to a small blender or food processor, add the half & half, and blend well. Return sauce to saucepan, add the chopped cilantro, salt and pepper and keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, quickly sauté the garlic and add the red pepper slices and broccoli rabe, salt and pepper, and stir until just crunchy and brightly colored. Toss in the pine nuts, turn off the heat, and keep covered.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the canola oil in a pan and sauté the salmon, skin side down first, for a minute or two. Turn the salmon fillet over and continue to sauté for several more minutes, until the center is opaque or when it has reached your preferred core temperature. Then cover and remove pan from heat.
Drain the fusilli, divide into two bowls and add the broccoli rabe and red peppers on top. Cut the salmon filet in half and place each piece atop the broccoli rabe in the dishes. Pour some of the lemon-wine sauce over the salmon, pasta and vegetables. Sprinkle with grated cheese (if using), a grind or two of fresh pepper, and serve immediately.
RSA & RMA