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Lovely Leftovers – Fennel and Smoked Salmon Pasta:
An admission, this was going to be the fennel and smoked salmon salad that Janice posted a while ago.
Sorry, Janice.
It’s COLD and I need warm comfort food. And there’s not much in the house because I am off to Tuscany tomorrow. In fact, I think this is really the wrong sort of pasta – fusilli would have been a lot better or much smaller shells. But it was all I had in the cupboard!
So, here’s a simple dish to use up the leftovers in the fridge before I go away for a few days. And to warm me up. I’ve seen pasta served with fennel seed and fish or sausage before, but not with fresh fennel. I’ve also sauteed fennel in olive oil and served it with lemon as a vegetable. But I didn’t have anything like lamb or fresh fish to use up just a few scraps of smoked salmon and half a fennel bulb leftover from lunch when the sun WAS shining and I did make the salad mentioned above. Despite the slight randomness, this dish was a real winner.
- 1/2 head Fennel sliced finely
- 50 g Smoked Salmon cut into pieces
- 10 g Parmesan grated or shaved
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 150 g Pasta
- 1/2 Lemon zested and juiced
Reserve any fennel leaves for garnish, gently fry the slices in olive oil till they are translucent and softened
- Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the packet instructions
- Drain the pasta and return to the pan
- Stir in all the cooked fennel and oil, the lemon juice and zest and the smoked salmon
- Warm through gently until the salmon becomes opaque and the mixture is heated through
- Serve, garnished with the parmesan and the fennel fronds and seasoned with black pepper
This dish really was to use up leftovers. I had half a packet of smoked salmon, half a lemon and half a fennel bulb lurking in the bottom of the fridge. And, one of the universal truths of life is that wasting food you really like is a dreadful sin. So I am very pleased to have made myself a satisfying supper with food that might have otherwise ended up in the bin!
Definitely a recipe I need to retry
I always end up with leftover fennnel that I don’t know what to do with! This sounds lovely with the lemon and salmon too.
check out janice’s recipe too corina, I’ve tried it and it was very good!!! just needed warming up!
Ha ha! I’m glad you liked the salad recipe, but can fully understand why you wanted something warm and comforting.
I bought the fennel and salmon to MAKE that salad…but the weather here has been dire (and I think worse where you are!)
two of my favourites, smoke salmon and fennel – sound lovely – will have to try when my other half is not around as they don’t like either. Have a great trip
very easy to make for one;) I just did!