Smoked Salmon Pasta

By á-6091

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound pasta, either penne or a strip variety such as linguine.
• 1/4 to 1/3 pound thinly sliced smoked salmon, shredded
• 1/2 a shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• A sprinkling of good vodka, brandy, or whisky (which ever you prefer, about a tablespoon)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream (unwhipped)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• Optional: several leaves finely shredded radicchio (arugola) -- stir them in with the salmon

Preparation

Step 1

1. Bring the pasta water to a boil and salt it; in the meantime prepare the other ingredients. Cooking the sauce will take 5-7 minutes, so check the cooking time of the pasta and begin the sauce about 8 minutes before the pasta will be ready.

2. Start by sautéing the shallot in the butter until it wilts, then add the salmon and cook a minute or so more, stirring, until it lightens in color. Sprinkle in the liquor (vodka will add a crisper note, and brandy a slightly sweeter one), stir until it is evaporated, and stir in the cream. Heat through, check seasoning, and it’s ready; sprinkle the parsley over it at the very end, just before you use it to sauce the pasta.

3. This is, as I said, off the top of my head; feel free to vary the proportions to suit your taste. It will, in any case, serve 2. The wine? A white, perhaps a Chardonnay from Friuli's Collio.