Poached Champagne Salmon over pasta

Posted on April 7th, 2009 by Danielle.
Categories: dinner, lemon, onion, pasta, salmon, sauce.

Sounds decadent doesn’t it?  So one night I was going to make my Nane’s pasta with clam sauce, but I only had salmon.  Then someone came over with a bottle of champagne.  I thought, “mmm…can I find a recipe that fits all three?”  The answer was, “with a little combination-yes”.  So here’s the recipe, taken from a HG-TV recipe, a Food Network Recipe and my Nane’s recipe.

Poached Champagne Salmon over Pasta:

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 large shallot minced
8 oz brut champagne
3 Tbs salted butter
1/2 tsp fresh dill
1 pint heavy cream
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tsp lemon juice
1 large fillet of Salmon
1/2 box Angel Hair pasta
parsley
black pepper
Parmesan cheese

Cooking Supplies:

Large high sided skillet w/lid
Pasta pot
Small sauce pot

Heat the large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil.  Add shallots and garlic and sauté until soft and golden.  Add champagne, lemon juice, salt and dill and bring to a boil.

In the meantime remove the scales from the salmon and cut the fillet into two pieces.

Reduce heat on the liquid to just a simmer.  Slide in the two fillet pieces and cover.  Poach 3-4 minutes.  Transfer the finished salmon to a covered plate. Leave liquid simmering in the skillet. In another pot, bring water to a boil and add pasta. Cook pasta 10 minutes or until soft.

In a small sauce pot, add 1 cup of the champagne liquid over medium heat.  Add heavy cream and butter. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and season with pepper and additional salt to taste.

Return salmon to champagne liquid to reheat.  Drain pasta and set on the plate.  Place reheated salmon on the pasta and cover in cream sauce.  Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese if you’d like.

Follow the Recipe Extra: The important part of this recipe is to balance the flavor of the champagne liquid and the heavy cream.  Too much cream and it will be a little bland, too much broth and it’ll be too champagne-y.  The key is to taste and taste.  Once you get a handle on the mixture, you’ll be able to make this recipe a million times and always get it right.

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Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Posted on February 28th, 2009 by Danielle.
Categories: cheesey, dinner, pasta, recipe, sauce.

My grandma, who we call Nane, gave everyone in the family a cookbook that she had made and published for Christmas.  With great grace she also gave me permission to post everyone of the recipes I make from her cookbook.  So here’s the first of many recipes that the generations in my family have been eating for years. Thanks Nane!

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells:

12 Jumbo Shells
1 10oz. Package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 Egg white, slightly beaten
2 Tbs. Milk
1 26oz. jar of Marinara sauce (your choice)
mozzarella cheese

In a bowl, combine spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg white and milk.  Mix throughly.  In the meantime, heat a stock pot of water to boil and add the jumbo shells.  Cook only for 5-7 minutes.  Remove the pot from the stove and drain shells, carefully so as not to tear.  Put aside in a bowl.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 9×13 inch casserole dish, coat the bottom with a small amount of the marinara sauce.  Fill each shell and place in the baking dish in rows.  Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and cover with mozzarella cheese as desired.

Cover and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Then remove cover and continue cooking for 15 minutes more.  Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Follow The Recipe Extra:

The key to stuffing shells is not to over cook them in the water.  Only cook for 5 minutes and check them regularly. Also to make filling easier, use a pastry bag or a corner-cut ziplock.

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