Dom's Random Recipe Challenge Number 12 - Salmon and Rocket Pasta

By now you'll realise that I don't generally go out of my way to buy things specially for specific recipes.  Usually it's the other way round.  I see what's growing in the garden, or in season on local markets and food stores, or in my organic veg-box when it arrives. Then I either make-up, or search for an appropriate recipe.


I do make an exception though for Dom's Random Recipe Challenge. I actually make a special trip to buy the ingredients. So it may surprise you that when I went to buy the precise ingredients for Salmon and Rocket Pasta, that I came back with something else! I bought some lovely tuna fillet and watercress! Oh and instead of the prescribed tagliatelle, papardelle.


We've had quite a bit of salmon over the holidays, kindly and deliciously prepared by others. So when I saw tempting fresh dolphin friendly, line-caught tuna in the fishmonger section of the store, I couldn't resist adapting the recipe a little. I was sure the recipe required 'either' rocket 'or' watercress (it didn't, just rocket) I chose the latter as it's even more peppery than rocket, so that was another adaptation. 


Finally the pasta substitute...I really love fresh pasta, 'A' doesn't...and I was making one of those indulgent solitary suppers when he was out visiting friends, so decided to have fresh pasta and wouldn't you know...there wasn't any fresh tagliatelle left in the store, hence the papardelle! 


...I must try and make my own pasta...it's a vague New Years Resolution!


The book? Not a Christmas present...I didn't actually get any Cookery Books this year but lots of lovely related gifts that will creep into photo's soon. But this is my latest acquisition. BBC Good Food: 101 Fish and Seafood Dishes. A dinky little book filled with simple supper dishes...the kind of recipes you could easily make-up yourself, but really good to give you ideas, with good clear illustrations on every other page. Lots of great recipes like Spicy Salmon and Lentils sound lovely (p84) and Leeky Salmon in a Parcel (p66). Oh and I've been wanting a recipe for Cullen Skink(p74) for ages.

But I randomly opened it up at page 92 where you can find the recipe for Salmon and Rocket Pasta. It's copyright so I can't write the recipe here but you can link to it over at the BBC food website, here.


Basically you pan fry the fish in a little oil then remove from the pan. Cook the pasta, reserving some cooking water. Make a sauce with the cooking juices, creme fraiche and the zest of half a lemon...I also added the juice. Then combine all the ingredients...It takes twenty minutes maximum. It actually took me less because I used diced tuna which took about five instead of twelve minutes to cook and fresh pasta that again only took minutes to prepare, even less than dried would have. I also added a little sea salt and lots of crushed black pepper.


A definite winner...10 out of 10...I might even make it for supper tonight...or Tuna and Red Onion Salad looks good page 32...mmm...


It's a delicious and very adaptable recipe as I've shown by changing almost every ingredient including the creme fraiche for low fat yoghurt...(healthier eating being another tentative New Year's Resolution.) Instead of fish, Chicken or prawns would work really well, or wild mushrooms/butternut squash for vegetarians.

Why not join in Dom's challenge this month too...

...You sometimes stumble across the best recipes randomly...


....I may even have to do this again...I've made so many changes to the recipe it might not qualify...