Believe it or not, I *think* about posting to this blog surprisingly often. But recently I made dinner for some dear friends and all the kids (including one who isn't mine!) freaking loved this sauce. So did the parents (including me). So I promised I'd write up the recipe - and then I decided to post to this long-dormant blog. Because if there's one thing I've learned in the last eight and a half years, it's that perfection is bullshit. Showing up matters. Ok, that's two things. Kindly refer back to my point about perfection, k?
I don't know how often I'll keep posting here - although there is a decent list of recipes I've been wanting to share - but today, I'm doing this, and I hope it gives you some support in creating a tasty dinner that's a break from your everyday.
Notes:
I made this with spaghetti, but if your kids (or you, if you don't have kids) will accept more adventurous noodles, a chunky shape like rotini, elbows, or orecchiette would hold this sauce beautifully. It works fine with spaghetti though - the creaminess allows the sauce to cling to the noodles regardless.
While I used canned salmon, you could use smoked salmon, leftover flaked salmon filets, whatever. It's forgiving. You could also use canned tuna or chicken, although I think the more assertive flavor of the salmon is a better counterpart than chicken.
If you don't have a shallot on hand, red onion or even yellow or white onion would still make a decent sauce. You could sub in scallions, but add those right at the end rather than sauteeing from the get-go.
Instead of broccoli, you could use fresh or frozen spinach, or peas, or even asparagus or zucchini (depending on the season).
A couple of us are lactose-sensitive, so I used vegan butter and Green Valley Organics cream cheese, which has the lactose removed (and no, this is not a paid endorsement!). Worked fabulously.
The portions listed here fed three adults and three kids, with some of the kids going back for seconds. Leftovers should keep for three to five days.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb pasta
4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large shallot, sliced
2 Tbs butter
1/2 - 1 cup broccoli, cut no bigger than an inch long and 1/2 inch wide at their tops
1/2 tsp oregano
1-2 cans salmon
~1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1-1.5 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 Tbs cream cheese
1 cup pasta cooking water
1 Tbs honey
salt & pepper to taste
red pepper flakes (optional)
Method:
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When you drain it, save at least a cup of the cooking water. After draining, return it to the pot, stir in ~2 Tbs olive oil, and put the lid back on to keep it warm.
Meanwhile, after you set the pasta water to boil, start heating an empty saucepan over medium heat for a couple minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 2 Tbs olive oil. After another minute or two, add the garlic and shallot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for four or five minutes or until it smells amazing and the garlic is turning golden, on the verge of golden-brown. Add the butter towards the end of this time. Reduce heat if necessary to keep the butter from browning.
Add the broccoli, stir, and cover with a lid to allow it to steam. Stir every minute or so, cooking just until the broccoli turns bright green. You don't want it to get *too* tender yet.
Drain and rinse the canned salmon (realistically, I think we used 1.5 cans). Flake it with a fork, then add it to the pan. Stir it up with the aromatics and then stir in the oregano and parsley. If necessary, reduce heat and put the lid on to keep the sauce moist while you wait for the pasta to finish cooking. If the salmon immediately absorbed all the oil and butter, add just a touch more EVOO. Honestly, you can turn the heat off for a couple minutes if needed, it just needs to stay warm until you're ready for the next stage.
Once you've got your cup of pasta cooking water standing by, dollop on the Dijon mustard and cream cheese and stir thoroughly. Let it cook for a minute or so. Then pour in the pasta water, stir it up, add the honey, and stir more. Add salt & pepper. Taste and adjust to your preference. Don't be afraid to experiment, but at the same time, add your adjustments a touch at a time, tasting often.
Have red pepper flakes at the table for those who like a little heat.
We served this with an oven-warmed, buttery, multigrain baguette and a green salad.
Enjoy!
