Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Cooking.

Sorry everyone, this is just going to be a quickie. Would you believe I forgot? I can't believe it's June 1 today either. This year is just rushing past.

Spent the morning by first going to have blood work done for diabetes, at least I only have to go twice a year these days. Then making asparagus pesto which is now in the freezer. It is absolutely delicious, I had kind of forgotten how good it is. I thought I had posted the recipe this year, but it doesn't look like I have. Will check it out further. Yes I did post it, thought I had.

Tuesday afternoon we went to the bowling alley to escape the noise. They seem to have finished cutting back all the balcony floors - or at least half way. Not sure what is happening next. One of the proprietors gave me a large bundle of rhubarb plus I had bought some at the asparagus farm on Monday so when I got home from the alley, I cooked it all up and now I have a large pan of stewed rhubarb. At least I remembered the ginger this time. I think I am going to try freezing some of it. Can't seem to find out if it freezes OK, but there is too  much for me to eat and of course, Matt doesn't like it.

Being Wednesday of course, it is league bowling. I do hope I do better than I did on Tuesday.

Very odd to me, but the younger owner of the bowling alley, who loves seafood and fish of all kinds, doesn't like (or has never tasted) smoked salmon. One of my favourites.

Fettuccine With Asparagus And Smoked Salmon

Fresh pasta, asparagus and smoked salmon are tossed with shallot cream sauce in this elegant weeknight dinner that can be prepared in well under an hour.

½ lb fresh asparagus, medium thickness
Salt
1 Tbs butter
½ Tbs minced shallots
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz smoked salmon sliced 1/4-inch thick
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
9 to 10 oz fresh green fettuccine noodles
2 Tbs minced fresh dill

1. Snap off the ends of the asparagus where they break naturally and peel the stalks. Cut the asparagus on a slant to pieces about an inch long.

2. Steam the asparagus until they are just barely tender and still bright green, about three minutes. Rinse under cold water, drain well on paper towels and set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

4. While the water is coming to a boil, melt the butter in a large heavy skillet. Add the shallots and saute until soft but not brown. Stir in the cream and simmer about five minutes, until the cream has thickened somewhat.

5. Cut the salmon into slivers, add it to the cream and remove the skillet from the heat. Season with pepper and lemon juice. Add the asparagus.

6. When the pot of water is boiling, add the fettuccine, stir it once or twice, then cook two to three minutes after the water has returned to a boil. Drain well.

7. Briefly reheat the sauce. Transfer the fettuccine to a warm serving bowl, pour the sauce over it and toss. Sprinkle with dill and serve.

Servings: 4

Have a great day
 

22 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - all sound good - just don't fancy the noise! Cheers from a cold and wet England! It is June - I believe ... though more like some other time of year! Cheers Hilary

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    1. Don't fancy it too much ourselves Hilary but I guess we have to put up with it. Sorry the weather is so lousy. We have finally had a bit of summer like weather the last few days.

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  2. Can't believe it is June already! Yummy with the recipe.

    Betty

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    1. Nor me Birgit. Seems like Christmas was only a day or two away. A recipe I haven't tried yet. Must do so.

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  3. I love smoked salmon too, but I usually pickle my own. Wonder if I have ever posted that recipe?

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    1. If you have I don't remember seeing it Denise. I love smoked salmon too.

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  4. Can't see why stewed rhubarb wouldn't freeze. In my experience there's not much that doesn't freeze well when stewed.

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    1. I think you are right Helen. Posted the question on Facebook and everyone seems to agree plus a couple of people said they had done it.

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  5. I loathe noise...I have a feeling I'd be pretty miserable having to listen to that construction. I couldn't find any asparagus today at the market. Maybe I'll try the produce market tomorrow. I was bummed. I love it. Didn't seem to be in the stores much this spring and what was there was either expensive or had big stalks.

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    1. Tell me about it JoJo. Nothing we can do about it though, except move out I suppose. Sorry you can't find any asparagus. Wish I could send you some.

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  6. I can't believe we're already half way into the year either. Where does all the time go?

    I now officially have more fantastic asparagus recipes than I know what to do with. That salmon and asparagus looks good, but I'm especially intrigued by that asparagus pesto that I apparently missed because I suck and need to make ASAP.

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    1. They say it goes faster as you get older Bryan.

      You'll love the pesto, it's really good and freezes for ever.

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  7. I bet the balconies are one big mess now.
    Take out the asparagus and I would eat that.

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    1. They certainly are Alex.

      I didn't realise you didn't like asparagus. Even Liz has started to enjoy it.

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  8. Don't know about the pesto but I love just about anything with pasta.

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  9. David just LOVES rhubarb and has been known to eat 3 or 4 portions in one evening (with custard of course)! Our garden rhubarb has just finished and I haven't got any left over this year, but in previous years I have just trimmed it and cut it into small sections and frozen it in bags (not blanched or cooked) and its fine for a few weeks ... just defrost and cook it as usual.

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    1. Me too Sue, but I don't eat too much, adds too many calories although I don't use sugar. I found instructions for freezing uncooked, but not for cooked, however, FB friends assure me they have done it successfully.

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  10. Enjoy your bowling especially if it gets you away from the noise of the balconies being done

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  11. Ohhh, back in the day, I ate smoked salmon alllll the time. What good stuff that was. These days, no more but that's okay too.

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