Creamy Salmon Pasta with Spinach and Capers

Recipe by Sam Linsell

Serves 2, generously

Ingredients

230gms linguini or any other long pasta of your choice

100gm baby spinach leaves

300gms salmon, pin boned and skin on 

Olive oil to fry

2 Tbsp butter

1 small shallot finely chopped (or half a small brown onion)

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ cup La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 cup of whipping cream

1 Tbsp chopped dill

Zest of half a lemon

Juice from a lemon

3 Tbsp baby capers, drained from their brine

Salt & pepper

Grated Parmesan to serve (optional)

Gremolata pangrattato:

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

Zest of half a lemon

1 Tbs finely chopped Italian parsley

Salt & black pepper

Instructions

Make the pangrattato first. Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium/ small nonstick pan and when the butter starts to bubble, add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the panko crumbs and toss to coat.

Add the lemon zest and parsley and fry this for a few minutes until the crumbs turn a golden brown colour. Season lightly with sea salt and black pepper and decant from the pan to serve with the pasta.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. A minute or so before the pasta is ready, add the baby spinach leaves. Allow this to wilt in the water with the pasta and then drain in a colander reserving a little of the pasta water

While the pasta is cooking, heat a medium-sized non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper and rub a little olive oil over the flesh.

Fry (skin side down first) for a few minutes on each side until the salmon is golden and mostly cooked through. It is ok if the fish is a little pink in the middle. Set aside to cool slightly.

Wipe the pan down with a paper towel and return it to low heat. Add the butter to the pan and when it has melted, add the shallot. Cook until softened but not browned, about 3 – 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute further. Add the white wine and allow this to bubble away until most of the liquid has evapourated. Add the Dijon mustard and mix to combine.

Add the cream, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and baby capers, and cook briefly until the sauce starts to thicken. Flake the meat of the salmon into the sauce and heat through.

Add the drained pasta and spinach to the pan and toss to coat and if necessary add a little of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. . Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dish up immediately and serve with the golden pangratatto crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese and beautiful glasses of either 2023 La Motte Sauvignon Blanc or 2022 Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc.