Two Years Ago: Edamame Spread
Cold pasta salads are ideal warm weather food because you can do the cooking in the morning (or night before) so you don't have to heat up the kitchen that evening. This one is light (sour cream, no mayo) and healthy with the salmon and veggies, and herbs and lemon rind add bright notes to the overall flavor profile. One pot does the work of cooking asparagus, peas and pasta so clean-up is fast.
Look for relatively slender fresh asparagus in the market for the best flavor and texture, and make sure you don't overcook it - it should be crisp-tender, not soft. Taste a piece shortly before you think it should be done to make sure.
The key to this salad is the quality of the veggies and salmon - buy the best and freshest that you can find and it will be excellent.
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Cold Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon, Peas and
Asparagus
Serves 4
Serves 4
½ bunch slender asparagus, trimmed
½ cup frozen peas
1/2 shallot, minced
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces orchiette or bowtie pasta
6 ounces chopped or flaked smoked salmon
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces orchiette or bowtie pasta
6 ounces chopped or flaked smoked salmon
1/4 cup chopped chives
Dill sprigs, garnish
Dill sprigs, garnish
Cucumber slices and lemon wedges, optional garnishes
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Cut the tips off the asparagus stems, and then cut the
stems into 1” pieces. Drop the asparagus
stems and the peas in the boiling water for 3 minutes, then add the asparagus
tips and boil for an additional 30 seconds.
Remove the vegetables from the water using a spider (strainer) and
immediately drop in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. (Do not discard the boiling water.) Drain the
vegetables, pat dry, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk,
vinegar, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper. Add the shallots and whisk to
combine.
In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente (add some salt to the water if desired). Drain and rinse with cold running water. Drain again well. Toss with the sauce, peas, asparagus and salmon. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Before serving, toss with the chives. Garnish with dill sprigs and optional cucumber slices and lemon wedges and serve.
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