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.

Smoked Salmon Corn Chowder

 

My favorite part of hanging out in a new neighborhood is finding new restaurants.

Since I hang out at Wes’s a lot (you know, because I live at home and all), I’ve gotten to test out a ton of new eateries.

So far, we have found our favorite barbeque spot, nailed down our go-to Mexican and have spent plenty of nights in eating our neighborhood Chinese.

But my favorite of all of our finds is our breakfast spot. It’s within biking distance, the food is awesome and everyone there is so nice.

The bonus, recently our breakfast spot started serving dinner.

After a couple months of wanting to try it, we finally made it there.

And they had the best freaking soup I have ever had.

Since they weren’t particularly forthcoming when I asked for the recipe, I had to figure it out for myself.

And damn did I do a good job.

You will need…

2 slices thick cut bacon, diced

2 tablespoons butter

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons flour

4 cobs fresh raw corn, sliced off the cob or 1 bag frozen corn if raw corn is out of season

4 red potatoes, chopped

½ tablespoon tarragon, finely chopped

4 cups chicken stock

½ pound smoked salmon, skinned and chopped

1 cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need very much because the bacon and salmon are salty)

Start by adding the bacon to a large soup pot and cook it over medium heat until it is browned and crisped. About 7 minutes.

Then, add in the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and butter.

Cook the veggies down until they start to soften, stirring occasionally. About another 7 minutes.

When the veggies have softened, add in the flour and mix it in well.

Add in the chicken stock, the potatoes, the corn, the tarragon and a little pepper.

Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Cook the soup until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Pour in the milk and the heavy cream and add in the salmon.

Stir so that everything is completely combined.

Cook the soup for a couple more minutes until the salmon and soup are hot.

Serve immediately with your favorite crusty bread.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Smoked Salmon Corn Chowder

2 slices thick cut bacon, diced

2 tablespoons butter

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons flour

4 cobs fresh raw corn, sliced off the cob or 1 bag frozen corn if raw corn is out of season

4 red potatoes, chopped

½ tablespoon tarragon, finely chopped

4 cups chicken stock

½ pound smoked salmon, skinned and chopped

1 cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need very much because the bacon and salmon are salty)

Start by adding the bacon to a large soup pot and cook it over medium heat until it is browned and crisped. About 7 minutes.

Then, add in the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and butter.

Cook the veggies down until they start to soften, stirring occasionally. About another 7 minutes.

When the veggies have softened, add in the flour and mix it in well.

Add in the chicken stock, the potatoes, the corn, the tarragon and a little pepper.

Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Cook the soup until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Pour in the milk and the heavy cream and add in the salmon.

Stir so that everything is completely combined.

Cook the soup for a couple more minutes until the salmon and soup are hot.

Serve immediately with your favorite crusty bread.