A Spring Treat: Homemade Chive Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Greens
The ice is out of Joe's Pond! That means spring is really here in Vermont. There are signs of spring everywhere! Flowers are starting to bloom, the birds have all returned, including the Lake Champlain seagulls that spend a week or so feasting on…
The ice is out of Joe's Pond! That means spring is really here in Vermont.
There are signs of spring everywhere! Flowers are starting to bloom, the birds have all returned, including the Lake Champlain seagulls that spend a week or so feasting on bugs in the hayfields after snow melt.
Now we can declare spring
At 4:02 a.m. yesterday, the ice went out at Joe's Pond in West Danville, Vt. This ritual signals the true beginning of spring for many. Not terribly high tech, a clock is set on a cinder block on a pallet 100 feet out on the ice. When the block falls through the ice, the clock is disconnected and the exact time recorded.
Low tech contest
There is a contest every year and tickets are sold with folks from all over the world paying for a chance to guess at the time of the ice fall. The money is divided equally between the winner and a conservation group. For details: Ice Out at Joe's Pond.
First green crop!
To celebrate spring, I turned to my only crop of the year thus far – chives! I have them in abundance from last week's rain, so using them in my spring celebration dish was a must.
The cooking creativity begins
A couple of weeks ago, my teenage granddaughter Jaina created a delicious homemade durum wheat semolina pasta dish featuring smoked salmon and brocollini. We hadn't made pasta together in quite some time, so it was lots of fun, and it turned out delicious. I loved her experimentation and creativity, and her pasta was some of the best we've had.
Make it yours, even if your granddaughter created it
I decided to recreate her dish and write it down. There was no broccolini around, so I swapped out arugula. You could add any green here that you like or can find. Of course, I added my own spin when my large clump of chives begged to be used. Wouldn't it be fun to put the chives right in the pasta dough? It was delicious, with a subtle chive flavor and pretty green specks.
Quick, or fun? What's your choice today?
You can make homemade pasta dough in the food processor in a couple of minutes, but while it is quick, it certainly isn't fun. I prefer to make it by hand, putting the flour on the counter, making a well, and adding the eggs and liquids, volcano style, then kneading it. However you make it, the results will be worth the effort.
You can make this your own in many ways
If you make this with broccolini, or even broccoli, toss it in to cook through before you add the salmon to warm. You can also substitute spinach, chard, kale, or other favorite green. For the salmon, look for a wild variety, cut into thick chunks rather than the thinly sliced. The thin slices will turn an unattractive shade of grey in the pan when warmed, and we do take that first bite with our eyes! Of course, you can substitute any smoked fish you like, and make it vegetarian with smoked tofu! It's all good.
The flour is the star
While you can use all-purpose or whole wheat flour to make pretty good pasta, our favorite dried pastas are always the Italian imports and they use durum wheat semolina, so that's what we've been using. It has a lovely flavor and really nice texture.
Chive Semolina Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Arugula
The pasta dough:
1 ½ cups (240 g.) durum wheat semolina flour
½ tsp. salt
2 fresh local or organic eggs
2 tbsp. (30 ml) fruity olive oil
2 tbsp. (30 ml) water
2 tbsp. minced chives
Combine the flour and salt on a mound on your table. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, olive oil, water. Using a fork, mix the liquids together and start scraping flour from the sides of the well. When most of it is incorporated in a dry, shaggy mess, switch to your hands and bring the dough together. Start kneading and add the chives. Continue kneading for a total of about 10 minutes. The dough will be smooth, and difficult to continue kneading. Form into a ball, cover with plastic or a bowl, and let sit at room temperature for a half hour. This is essential if you want to roll it out.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and crack you eggs.
After mixing in the eggs, oil, and water, use your hands to start forming the dough.
Add the herbs.
After 10 minutes of kneading, you'll have a neat little ball that needs a bit of a rest before you try to roll it out.
To make the pasta, roll out with a rolling pin, lightly flouring the surface and top. Fold it over on itself, again lightly floured, and cut into desired strips. Or, flatten and cut into smaller pieces and run through your pasta maker, keeping it lightly floured as well. With both methods, place your finished pasta on a cookie sheet with more flour added to keep it separated, fluffing it up so it doesn't stick.
Whether you use your 30-year-old pasta machine or just a rolling pin, keep your dough floured to prevent sticking.
All done and ready to cook.
To cook, bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil, shake off any excess flour, and add the pasta. Cook for around three or four minutes.
The pasta dish:
The pasta from above
2 ounces (60 ml) fruity olive oil
1 small onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 small Serrano pepper, minced
½ cup dry white wine
6 ounces (170 g.) smoked salmon
Large bunch of arugula, about 14.5 ounces or 125 g.OR, one bunch of broccolini, chopped
Chopped hazelnuts, or other nuts, and more chives to garnish
Over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and add the onion. Sauté for a few minutes, them add the garlic and pepper, keeping everything moving. (If using broccolini or broccoli here, add it now). Drop the fresh pasta in boiling salted water at this point, it only takes three minutes to cook.
Once the onions have softened and just start to brown, add the white wine and let reduce a bit, then toss in the salmon.
Add the pasta directly to the pan along with about a half cup of the boiling liquid, taste for salt and pepper, mix it up carefully, then add the arugula, mixing it up and seasoning lightly again. Cover and remove from the heat so the arugula wilts.
Turn out to a platter or large bowl and garnish with nuts and more chives. Put on some cheerful music and feast.
Vegetarian alternative: Substitute a favorite smoked tofu for the fish. It is quite a delightful alternative. If you are entertaining both vegetarians and fish eaters, prepare everything to the point of adding the protein and divide into two pans, one for the fish and another for the tofu. Everyone's happy.
Grandkids making pasta quite a few years ago! Jaina's in the middle. They all love the process.
No comments:
Post a Comment