Weekend Foodie: Smoked salmon brings powerful taste to spaghetti supper
A little goes a long way with this salmon dish as the taste is powerful, says Dianne Curtin.
Salmon has long been revered as the King of fish, with its almost royal reputation.
A whole one poached and served as part of a summer buffet really does make the crowning glory on the table.
Wild salmon fishing on a large scale is no longer permitted in Ireland. These fish were sought after for their firm texture and well-developed flavour, created by swimming in stiff currents in the ocean as they made their way home to their birth rivers to breed.
However, overfishing was responsible for the demise of wild salmon stocks some years ago. It is now a specialist seasonal product that costs a fortune.
In Ireland, salmon are now mainly farmed in cages out in the ocean currents, particularly on the west coast in the Atlantic. Some of this is then smoked to create Ireland’s very famous delicacy of smoked salmon.
I’m using it this weekend to add rich smokey flavour to a simple pasta dish of spaghetti dressed with cream and spring onions. A little goes a long way as the taste is defined and powerful.
To follow this graceful main, a graceful dessert of seasonal berries. There are lots of fresh soft berries in the shops now, with some Irish strawberries coming into season as well.
These make a very simple fruit fool which cleanses the palate after the spaghetti.
Add some fresh mint for a cooling and vibrant finish.
- 350g spaghetti
- Generous knob of butter
- 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
- 150g sliced smoked salmon, cut into small pieces
- 250 mls cream, or to taste
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan, or to taste, plus extra to serve
- Cook spaghetti in a large pan of boiling water till tender but still with a bite.
- Drain and reserve.
- Melt butter in the empty pan and add spring onions.
- Cook gently over medium heat till slightly softened.
- Return spaghetti to pan and add smoked salmon and cream.
- Bring to bubbling, stirring to combine all together.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 200g strawberries, hulled
- 125g raspberries
- Juice of half an orange
- Sugar to taste if necessary
- 300mls fresh cream
- Mint leaves for decoration.
Method
- Reserve a few whole strawberries and raspberries for decoration, then halve remaining strawberries and puree with remaining raspberries and orange juice.
- Sweeten with sugar to taste if necessary.
- Whip the cream to thickish soft peaks.
- Loosely fold the berry puree into the cream with a spatula, rippling it through the cream.
- Spoon into dessert glasses. Chill for at least an hour.
- Serve decorated with reserved whole berries and mint leaves.
- Serve dessert biscuits on the side.
This salmon dish is light but also rich because of the luxurious tastes of the smoked salmon and silky cream sauce. It needs a white wine which can balance these defined characteristics. I’m going for a classic French white from the shelves of Lidl, where you’ll always find a bargain. Bourgogne Chardonnay AOP 2022 comes from a winery in the famous French Burgundy region founded in 1821, almost 200 years ago. Its heritage goes unquestioned! The region is famous for several grape varieties, Chardonnay being one of them. You can expect a classic style on this wine with lots of crisp fruit and some creamy smooth vanilla character on the finish. It’s a perfect wine for this dish, where it will handle the savouriness of the smoked salmon and compliment the sauce. Burgundy wines usually cost an arm and a leg, but this one comes in at just €9.99. Treat yourself this weekend to one of ’s classic white wines.
Sliced Smoked salmon 150g pack: €4.39
Spaghetti 1kg: €1.59
Cream 250mls: €1.49
Scallions bunch: .89c
Parmesan cheese 150g: €3.49
Strawberries 400g: €4.00
Raspberries 125g: €2.79
Cream 500mls: €2.59
App?
