Salmon Over Fusilli & Rapini With Lemon-Wine Sauce

Ingredients

3/4 pound ~fresh salmon filet, skin on

1 bunch ~broccoli rabe, hard stems cut off (I save them for soups), washed and dried thoroughly in a 1 small ~sweet red pepper, cut into thin circular slices

1/4 cup ~toasted pine nuts

4 cloves ~garlic, minced

3 tablespoons ~olive oil for sautéing broccoli rabe

3 tablespoons ~canola oil for sautéing salmon

2 servs ~ (small bunches) of fusilli long pasta

~Salt& Pepper to taste, preferably fresh ground

~Grated parmigiano or pecorino cheese (optional)

For the sauce:

1 ~shallot, finely chopped

2 ~juice of lemons

1 slice ~white bread (crust removed), torn/cut into pieces and soaked in milk

1/2 cup ~white wine

1/2 cup ~fish stock

2 tablespoons ~half& half

1 tablespoon ~olive oil for sautéing shallots

1 ~bay leaf

12 ~peppercorns

1/4 cup ~chopped cilantro or parsley

Preparation

Preparation:

While the water is boiling for the pasta, sauté the shallot in a small saucepan in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the white wine, fish stock, lemon juice, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Wring out any excess milk from the soaked bread and add the bread to the sauce pan (it will act like a panade and thicken the sauce.) Continue to simmer for another minute or so. Remove sauce from heat and discard the bay leaf. Transfer sauce to a small blender or food processor, add the half & half, and blend well. Return sauce to saucepan, add the chopped cilantro, salt and pepper and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, quickly sauté the garlic and add the red pepper slices and broccoli rabe, salt and pepper, and stir until just crunchy and brightly colored. Toss in the pine nuts, turn off the heat, and keep covered.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the canola oil in a pan and sauté the salmon, skin side down first, for a minute or two. Turn the salmon fillet over and continue to sauté for several more minutes, until the center is opaque or when it has reached your preferred core temperature. Then cover and remove pan from heat.

Drain the fusilli, divide into two bowls and add the broccoli rabe and red peppers on top. Cut the salmon filet in half and place each piece atop the broccoli rabe in the dishes. Pour some of the lemon-wine sauce over the salmon, pasta and vegetables. Sprinkle with grated cheese (if using), a grind or two of fresh pepper, and serve immediately.