A Favorite Plus A Little Something Extra
My daughter Nell loves fettuccine Alfredo so when she was browsing the April 2013 edition of Cuisine at Home, she was thrilled to see this recipe for Spring Salmon Pasta. My wife was out for a business meeting for dinner so Nell decided she would make it all by herself for my youngest daughter and me.
I was in the basement doing a quick workout on the treadmill so I wasn't available to help except to answer a few of her questions about various ingredients, "Dad, is this a shallot?" That kind of thing.
When I came up from my workout, the meal was cooked and my daughters had already finished their meals so I grabbed a bowl and sat down with them while they enjoyed a little ice cream for dessert. The fettuccine Alfredo was perfect, not to heavy like I find a lot of creamy pasta dishes.
The balance between the cream sauce, lemon zest and capers was right on so you could taste the individual ingredients but they all worked together as a unit. Nothing but praise for this recipe and how well Nell pulled it together.
You know I'm a huge fan of Kids Can Cook so it was great seeing Nell try something new and have success. I think she enjoyed preparing this meal and felt a lot of pride in her accomplishment so I say, "you have to eat, so teach your kids to cook with you and have a learning experience."
Fettuccine Alfredo with Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon fillet with skin on
- salt & pepper to taste
- 8 ounces fettuccine
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon shallots minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup pecorino cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons capers I'm sure my daughter added more. She loves capers!
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest minced
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400ºF and bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil while you prep the ingredients.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Makes clean up a little easier.
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet, skin side down.
- Roast for about 15 minutes until cooked through. Let it cool off enough to be able to remove the skin without burning your fingers and then break it up into small pieces.
- Cook the pasta using the cooking times on the package but check before it is scheduled to be done. You don't want to overcook the pasta. Be sure to reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining to be used for the sauce.
To Make the Sauce
- Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the cream, then the reserved pasta water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. The cream will produce large bubbles and that's OK. Continue cooking until the sauce starts to thicken. This should take 4 - 5 minutes.
Finish the Dish
- Add the fettuccine to the sauté pan and then add the pecorino cheese. Toss the pasta with the sauce to coat.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the capers, chives, zest and salmon. Carefully stir to combine being careful not to break up the salmon to tiny pieces.
- Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.
- I usually say serve immediately and I'm sure you should with this dish but I ate this meal about 35 minutes after Nell cooked it because of my workout and it was still delicious. I served it with with a glass of medium bodied white wine.
Carla
I've been looking for this recipe ever since I had Salmon Fettuccine Alfredo at a cafe. Thanks, can't wait to try it!
Elizabeth
Hey! I'm going to make this as a quick dish, but I was wondering if I could just use the canned salmon? Would that affect the dish poorly?
G. Stephen Jones
Hi Elizabeth, it won't be the same as with fresh salmon but give it a try and let me know how it turns out. I'm always for trying new ideas for recipes especially with what's on hand ingredients.
MARGARET
THANKS FOR THIS RECIPE I HAVE VEGIETARIAN FRIENDS TO LUNCH ON SUNDAY AND THS WILL SURPRISE THEM - ARE YOU IN UK ? I WILL HAVE TO SORT OUT FROM OUNCES TO GRAAMS LOL I AKM IN OZ --THANKS AGAIN AND HAVE A NISE DAY -
Mimi
Will be linking to this in a few days - I make a similar dish, and it's on the menu tonight.
KA Hansen
I made this for my husband's birthday dinner and he was very pleased. He said it was just what he had envisioned. Tonight I'm cheating a bit and using the sauce on Costco Grilled Chicken ravioli. After a long afternoon at the dentist this will be just what we need. Thank you!
Lyn
My partner made this and it was the best.
Marie
how long will this meal take to cook?
G. Stephen Jones
Marie, assuming you are roasting the salmon and preparing the sauce while the pasta is cooking, it should take about 10 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes of cooking time for an overall "approximate" time of 35 minutes.