JUNE 2014: Linguini with Citrus Spice Infused Salmon

Summer heat is here (in Canada). I don’t want to complain as we crave for this season of lots of sunshine, greenery with lots of flowers, and lots of veggies growing in the garden... 

So, I decided to tackle the weeds in my garden by putting in 6 hours of labour intensive efforts to pull out the pretty little devils. And then, I got so hungry that I craved for a meal-- which is going to make me feel pampered and relaxed.

To regain the lost strength, I wanted healthy protein of fish such as Wild Atlantic Salmon. I prepped my darling salmon fillets with precision. 

I marinated them with freshly ground black pepper, sea salt, lemon juice, red chilli flakes, and some lemon zest (to ensure that I coated all sides of the fish). And, there they went in the fridge for an hour to soak up all the goodness that I showered them with.

photoed by A. Rajan

Next step was to put each fillet on parchment paper separately (just enough paper to parcel the individual fillet later), drizzled them with clarified butter, and put thinly cut pieces of lemon on top. 

photoed by A. Rajan

I parcelled each fillet with its individual paper, and put them in the pre-heated oven at 375 or 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. 

photoed by A. Rajan

I took out the parcel paper, and put the salmon on a plate after making it rest for 5 minutes (just as you make your steak rest for making it juicy and succulent).

photoed by A. Rajan

This needed to be paired with some good pasta. So, I cooked Linguini with little lemon zest and salt. In a pan, I put some olive oil with butter. And then, I sautéed garlic, spring onions, and bell pepper. I spiced it up a little bit with red chilli flakes, dried oregano, dried basil, and a little bit of salt. And then, I tossed the Linguini in this mixture. And, I added some lemon zest and cilantro (coriander) leaves in it. I am not a fan of cilantro (as I am partial to my Asian heritage after all). But, I love the citrusy taste of it.

photoed by A. Rajan

Next thing was to plate it all up on the bed of Linguini with generous sprinkle of three kinds of shredded cheese (Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago). You simply put the prepared salmon fillet on top of the prepared Linguini. And, enjoy it with a glass of wine. 

Bon appétit! :-D

photoed by A. Rajan

Love, love, love this dish! It's a staple in my diet once a month for now.
--A.R.

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D' HAIKU

Pasta and salmon:

Seasoned, baked, pasta'd and served;

Love to eat it too!

--D.L.