Poached Salmon Fettucini Pasta with Grilled Asparagus

I have a new found love ya’ll.

Yes I know I’ve been spending time in the south.

No, Wes and I did not break up. We are better than ever.

The new love is Denver. Actually, everywhere I went in Colorado was pretty spectacular.

A land where the vibe is mellow, the people love to be active and the food is freaking amazing.

Even the food served at the tradeshow I was working was the tasty.

Way to step it up Mile High City!

In an attempt to make my work travel a bit more enjoyable, I’ve started tacking on days here and there to my trips so I can properly enjoy the city that I’m in.

I flew out to Colorado on Friday to spend a little extra time with my girlfriend Nicole (formerly of London via Los Angeles via Wyoming).

Knowing my food obsession, she made a conscious effort to take me to tasty and interesting spots to tickle my fancy.

Osteria Marco in downtown Denver was so good I went back twice. If you get a chance to dine at this homey but chic underground eatery, I HIGHLY recommend the rabbit.

And if you make it to Fort Collins, CO you have to check out Scrumpy’s for a cider flight, a bomb sandwich and some fresh baked cookies.

The food in Colorado was exceptional, but I got way more out of my trip than just a full belly.

I gained some serious confidence.

Four years ago when I had just started cooking and was contemplating the creation of New Food Tuesdayz, everything literally was new. I knew NOTHING about food other than I loved eating it.

I knew nothing of how things would be prepared, what cheeses I preferred, what wine would go well with the food I ordered.

But four years, over a thousand recipes attempted and hundreds of amazing meals consumed have brought me a long way. In a foodie state, I was able to hold my own in some serious food conversations with people whose lives are all about good eats.

The highlight was being asked if I owned my own restaurant by a veteran of the business.

No sir I don’t. But hopefully I will be changing that soon.

This pasta dish I made would have fit in perfectly at a few of the restaurants I dined at in the last few days.

Simple ingredients, bold flavors and a homey vibe really make this an easy to execute crowed pleaser.

You will need…

1 lb fresh fettucini pasta (or boxed pasta cooked per the instructions if you don’t have the time)

1 lb salmon, skinned removed and cut into 4 ounce pieces

2 tablespoons garlic, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup white wine

2 vine ripened tomatoes, diced

2 green onions, white and light green parts roughly chopped

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

Paremsan cheese for serving

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill to a medium high heat.

Drizzle the asparagus with 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Make sure the asparagus are all lightly coated in oil.

Place them on a warm part of the grill and cook the asparagus, turning once until they are grilled on the outside and slightly tender. Be careful not to over cook. About 7 minutes.

Remove them from the heat and set aside to cool. When the asparagus have cooled, shop into 1 inch pieces and reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to the package instructions or if you are using fresh pasta, about 3 to 5 minutes just until the pasta is al dented. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

While the water is heating, heat the remaining olive oil and butter together in a large pan over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add in the tomatoes and white wine to the pan.

Simmer the white wine and tomatoes until all the alcohol has burnt off and the wine has reduced slightly. About 5 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and add in the green onions and the salmon to the pan.

Cook the salmon in the liquid, flipping once until the salmon is cooked through. About 5 minutes.

When the salmon is cooked through gently break up the fish into smaller pieces with a fork or tongs.

Toss in the pasts, asparagus and Paremsan to taste. Toss well.

If there is not much liquid left and the pasta is dry and not saucy, pour in the reserved pasta water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Serve hot with fresh pepper and Paremsan.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Poached Salmon Fettucini Pasta with Grilled Asparagus

1 lb fresh fettucini pasta (or boxed pasta cooked per the instructions if you don’t have the time)

1 lb salmon, skinned removed and cut into 4 ounce pieces

2 tablespoons garlic, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup white wine

2 vine ripened tomatoes, diced

2 green onions, white and light green parts roughly chopped

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

Paremsan cheese for serving

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill to a medium high heat.

Drizzle the asparagus with 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Make sure the asparagus are all lightly coated in oil.

Place them on a warm part of the grill and cook the asparagus, turning once until they are grilled on the outside and slightly tender. Be careful not to over cook. About 7 minutes.

Remove them from the heat and set aside to cool. When the asparagus have cooled, shop into 1 inch pieces and reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to the package instructions or if you are using fresh pasta, about 3 to 5 minutes just until the pasta is al dented. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

While the water is heating, heat the remaining olive oil and butter together in a large pan over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add in the tomatoes and white wine to the pan.

Simmer the white wine and tomatoes until all the alcohol has burnt off and the wine has reduced slightly. About 5 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and add in the green onions and the salmon to the pan.

Cook the salmon in the liquid, flipping once until the salmon is cooked through. About 5 minutes.

When the salmon is cooked through gently break up the fish into smaller pieces with a fork or tongs.

Toss in the pasts, asparagus and Paremsan to taste. Toss well.

If there is not much liquid left and the pasta is dry and not saucy, pour in the reserved pasta water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Serve hot with fresh pepper and Paremsan. 

Creamy Smoked Salmon Fettucini

Ya know. I knew when I woke up on the day I turned twenty-seen. This was year was going to be the tough one. It seems that no matter who I talk to, most people have had a year in their life that really made them feel the reality of aging.

This is not to say that I am old. I’m many years young. If I’m lucky and do my best to take care of myself, I will live a long and full life. But this is the first year I really feel like I’ve grown up. I guess the best way I can describe it is that in my youthful mind, by twenty-seven I would have my shit together. Who knows why that was the year. Maybe because at seventeen, I thought I would have all four of my imaginary children would be popped out by thirty. Unless I get really busy and have a set of twins or two, that obviously isn’t happening.

Why praytell am I boring you with my long winded and mildly depressing monologue? Because this weekend was my college alumni weekend and it all came crashing down on my again.

Meeting new alumni who were not even at LMU when I graduated was pretty shocking. I have now been of college longer than I was IN COLLEGE. How did that happen?

But, hanging out with them help me see that I don’t want to go back there. Being five years out of college is SOOOO much better than being right out of college.

No part of me longs for the first days of my first job. The uncertainty of new tasks, rent, boys. Sure it was cool and exciting then. But it was stressful. Not only that, but it was a time before I found my real passion. Cooking.

These days, the food is better, the entertainment is better, the love is strong, and life is steady and beautiful. 

So while I will admit it was REALLY fun reliving my college days all weekend, I’m happy to be back to my steady life and awesome kitchen.

You will need…

4 cups broccoli florettes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 vine ripened tomatoes, diced

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup cream

6 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped

½ cup parmesan, freshly grated plus extra for serving

1 lb fettucini, preferably homemade

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water has boiled, toss in the broccoli and cook until just barely tender. Immediately remove from the water and plunge into ice water. Let the broccoli soak until it has cooled and drain. Set aside.

Refill the water, add salt and bring it back to a boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a large pan.

When the oil is hot, add in the onions and cook till they are trasnslucent.

Add in the garlic and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomatoes and the white wine and bring the liquid to a simmer.

As soon as the liquid simmers, add in the chicken stock and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly.

Pour in the cream and stir until combined. Continue to slowly simmer the sauce until the pasta has cooked.

Drain the pasta, but reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Add the pasta and ½ cup cheese to the sauce and stir will until the pasta is lightly coated.

Toss in the salmon, parsley and broccoli and toss until everything is well combined.

Serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Creamy Smoked Salmon Fettucini

4 cups broccoli florettes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 vine ripened tomatoes, diced

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup cream

6 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped

½ cup parmesan, freshly grated plus extra for serving

1 lb fettucini, preferably homemade

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water has boiled, toss in the broccoli and cook until just barely tender. Immediately remove from the water and plunge into ice water. Let the broccoli soak until it has cooled and drain. Set aside.

Refill the water, add salt and bring it back to a boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a large pan.

When the oil is hot, add in the onions and cook till they are trasnslucent.

Add in the garlic and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomatoes and the white wine and bring the liquid to a simmer.

As soon as the liquid simmers, add in the chicken stock and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly.

Pour in the cream and stir until combined. Continue to slowly simmer the sauce until the pasta has cooked.

Drain the pasta, but reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Add the pasta and ½ cup cheese to the sauce and stir will until the pasta is lightly coated.

Toss in the salmon, parsley and broccoli and toss until everything is well combined.

Serve hot.

Lamb, Proscuitto and Fig Ragu with Beet Pasta

Figs are just one of those things.

They are one of those ingredients that are so stunning, but yet you still are often at a loss of what to do with them.

In my house, figs were not a regular staple. Perhaps that is why I often am at a loss of what to do with them.

Their hearty and sweet characteristics have been the driving force that has lead them to many of my slow cooked dishes. They hold up on their own while spreading their tasty love around any dish that is cooked for a long time.

No wonder this isn’t the first ragu they have found their way into.

You will need…

1lb ground lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large figs, chopped

4 ounces proscuitto, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup fresh grated pecorino cheese

Beet fettuccini

Start by heating the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot.

When the oil is hot, add in the lamb and the proscuitto and cook it till it is browned. Breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

When the meat is browned, add in the rosemary and garlic and season well with salt and pepper. 

Continue to simmer until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add in the mushrooms and figs and cook for an additional two minutes. Just until the mushrooms start to softened.

Stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer the liquid slowly, stirring every couple minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. About 20 minutes.

Serve hot with the beet fettuccini or pasta of your choice and topped with cheese.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Lamb and Fig Ragu with Beet Pasta

1lb ground lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large figs, chopped

4 ounces proscuitto, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup fresh grated pecorino cheese

Beet fettuccini

Start by heating the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot.

When the oil is hot, add in the lamb and the proscuitto and cook it till it is browned. Breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

When the meat is browned, add in the rosemary and garlic and season well with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add in the mushrooms and figs and cook for an additional two minutes. Just until the mushrooms start to softened.

Stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer the liquid slowly, stirring every couple minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. About 20 minutes.

Serve hot with the beet fettuccini or pasta of your choice and topped with cheese.

Fettuccini Carbonara

For once, instead of using the internet to scour for NFT recipes I decided to hit our impressive library of cook books. With everything from Nobu cook book to the Soup Bible, I figured there have to be a lot of untapped recipes in there for my archives. In my search through our books, most of which I have barely glanced at, I stumbled upon a culinary gem. William-Sonoma’sROME cookbook.

I started flipping through page after page of delectable pasta’s and fish dishes and before I knew it there was a large puddle of drool on my desk. Don’t worry Lish, I did NOT drool ON the book. Just near it.

Have I mentioned my love of carbs? I seriously admire those who can eliminate complex carbohydrates from their diet. NEVER gonna happen for me. NEVER.

The thing that is so amazing about Italian cooking is that everything is so simple. It’s just simple ingredients and simple techniques, but the quality makes it mind blowing.

With all the amazing pasta recipes that this book had, I didn’t really know where to start. So I just started with number one. This recipe has a TOTAL of eight ingredients. Three of which you probably already have in your kitchen. When you tell people you made carbonara they will be so impressed. Unless they read NFT’z too. Then you’re screwed.

You will need…

6 oz pancetta sliced into ¼ in pieces


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 lb fettuccini
¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese


¼ cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese plus more to sprinkle after served


2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk at room temperature (very important)

In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, combine the pancetta and olive oil and cook slowly until much of the fat has rendered and the meat has brown a little. Be careful not to make it too crispy. Once it is brown and still soft, remove it from the heat and cover the pan.


Bring a pot that is ¾ full of water to a rapid boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Cook the pasta to the package specifications.

While it is cooking, whisk together the 2 eggs and the egg yolk. Stir in about a tablespoon of fresh pepper and then add HALF the grate cheese mix.


Mix the whole thing together.


Here is where timing gets important. Make sure the bowl you are going to put the pasta in is going to be warm. If not, if will affect the eggs when added to the pasta.


When the pasta is finished, pour it into a colander and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Shake the pasta a couple of times to get rid of excess water and then add the pasta back into the pan of pancetta. Toss the pasta a couple of times to coat the pasta with the fat and pancetta.

Transfer the pasta and pancetta into your already warm bowl and with a wooden spoon stir in the egg mixture, mixing vigorously to coat the pasta evenly. If the pasta seems dry, add small splashes of the reserved pasta water until it is moist.

Add in the remaining cheese and serve. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired.


Whatever you do, don’t bring your leftovers to work. Your work vultures I mean buddies will devour it if you do.

Love and Beer Floats
Angela