Salmon Pasta

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8 oz. farfalle pasta (bow-ties)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pesto
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 lb. fresh salmon fillet, boned, skinned and julienned
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3-4 green onions, sliced with some tops
1/4 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon capers (optional!)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges

In a large pot, cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain, return to pot and toss to coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons pesto. Cover to keep warm.

While pasta is cooking, dust salmon with flour. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. Add salmon and onions; sauté for 3 minutes. Add wine, cream, capers, dill weed and parsley. Simmer to reduce and thicken sauce, about 5 minutes.

Add salmon mixture to pasta and toss gently. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Delicious with Caesar salad and garlic/rosemary bread.

Notes: I had a package of Seabear Wild King Smoked Salmon that I combined with some leftover cooked salmon. I didn't need to dust the salmon with flour (since it was already cooked), but went ahead and sprinkled a couple of tablespoons into the sauce to help thicken it a bit. We don't care for capers and didn't miss them. I didn't have any parsley, so I left that out as well. (I assume the recipe calls for flat-leaf "Italian" parsley and not the curly variety.) Next time around, I think I'll add a couple of tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice to the sauce. Some blanched asparagus tips and sautéed mushrooms would also be a nice addition.

Recipe adapted from San Juan Classics Cookbook