Salmon Pasta

By JimMac

Ingredients

• 12 ounces small bowtie or penne pasta, cooked al dente
• 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery (1 large stalk)
• 1/4 cup diced sweet red bell pepper (sweet capsicum)
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces (1 cup) clam juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning spice blend (such as Old Bay)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 2 (6-ounce) cans boneless, skinless salmon, with liquid, broken into large chunks
• 1 cup frozen baby sweet peas
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill weed or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Get the pasta started before you begin the sauce. It should be done by the time you are done with the sauce.

Saute the sweet onion, celery, and red bell pepper in the butter until vegetables are limp but not completely soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes to eliminate the raw taste from the flour. Continue to stir and add clam juice. Once it begins to thicken, stir in heavy cream, seafood seasoning, kosher salt, and lemon pepper. Bring back to a simmer and add peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Fold in the salmon (with liquid), taking care not to break up chunks, along with the dill weed. Heat an additional 2 minutes.

Stir a little of the sauce into the pasta just to coat it. Portion out the pasta and serve with remaining sauce. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.