Pasta Salmone

It's actually quite amazing that I've never posted this recipe! This was made a long long time ago - Christmas Eve Dinner 2010 to be exact! I had noted down the recipe as a draft and even uploaded the pictures but never got round to doing the writeup.

Salmon Pasta has always been something I've wanted to try and make. In restaurants, Salmon Pasta is not only rather expensive but they are often stingy with the Salmon. So when making it at home, I made sure I wasn't going to be stingy with anything!



The secret to a good salmon pasta is a flavourful sauce. I think the secret to a good sauce is not just good cream but also a good salmon stock. The best salmon stock is of course one that you make on your own.




This is what I did:

Ingredients
For the Stock
1 Salmon Carcass
1 Onion - quartered
2 cloves garlic - whole
300ml water

For the Sauce
200g smoked Salmon - chopped
1 Onion - chopped
4 cloves garlic - chopped
2 tsps Oregano
1 tsp Basil
200g Portobello Mushrooms - sliced thinly
3 Tomatoes - chopped
200ml Cream
Black Pepper

Method
Make a salmon stock by pouring the water into a medium saucepan. Add in the carcass and onion and garlic. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes till liquid is reduced by half. Remove the salmon skeleton and scrape off the cooked fish from the carcass and set aside. This is still good salmon meat!. Discard the skeleton toghether with the onion and garlic. Skim the top of the stock to remove any scum. Set aside.

Sautee the garlic, onion, oregano and basil till tender. Add in the mushrooms and cook till tender. Add in the tomatoes and cook till tomatoes break up. Add in the cream and mix well till heated thoroughly. Toss in the smoked salmon and salmon meat (from the skeleton earlier). Add in sufficient stock to form a nice thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Toss together with your choice of pasta.

I think this is the 3rd version of Salmon Pasta that I've made and obviously the best! The salmon pieces from the skeleton give you some extra salmon and the flakiness of this salmon contrasts nicely with the smoked salmon pieced.




Contrary to what I expected, salmon carcass does not cost too much and was easily available in the supermarket. Or perhaps I was just lucky the day I went! Nonetheles, this pasta is not so difficult to whip up but delivers stunning results.

Now normally I would send this to Presto Pasta Nights but apparently Ruth from Once Upon a Feast has given up hosting PPN. Oh well, all things change but its been a lot of fun joining in with Presto Pasta Nights! Thanks Ruth!