A ten minute dinner: Hot smoked salmon with asparagus linguine with RR. Spinks and Sons fish. Pic: Paul Johnston.
Is it possible to make a decent ten minute dinner?
Obviously, beans on toast don’t count.
Recent experience says ‘Yes, we can’.
The good people at RR. Spink and Sons recently sent the 5pm Dining blog a pack of their Hot Smoked Salmon along with a pile of recipe cards.
The family firm have been fishmongers for more than three centuries and they have come up with some fool-proof recipes in that time.
We picked out one for a pasta dish which used their Hot Smoked Salmon. Made with asparagus, lemon and parsley, it looked fresh and light.
I realise that a frosty February in Scotland is probably more conducive to hearty rib-sticking dishes but I wanted something that had the promise of spring about it.
We managed to knock this up in less than ten minutes – about the same time it took to cook the linguine.
To be honest, there wasn’t much cooking involved. It’s more of a quick and easy assembly job.
Although it was a doddle to get on the plate, the simplicity of the dish was at odds with how good it tasted.
I was surprised at how well the flaked fish went well with the Parmesan cheese. There was a big umami hit from the combination of smoky, nicely salty fish and the savoury punch of the cheese.
The asparagus added crunch and juiciness while the lemon zest and juice lifted the entire dish.
Simple and satisfying – the perfect midweek dinner in ten minutes.
Ten minute dinner: Hot Smoked Salmon with Asparagus Linguine
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 packet of RR. Spink & Sons Hot Smoked Salmon (120g)
500g linguine pasta
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus, tough stems removed & cut into 4cm pieces
50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 lemon, zest & a squeeze of juice
Method
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Throw in the linguini and continue to boil at full tilt until the pasta is cooked.
While the pasta is cooking, gently fry the asparagus in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and let it sizzle for a minute.
Flake RR. Spink & Sons Hot Smoked Salmon into the asparagus and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Drain the pasta, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water.
Add the pasta to the asparagus and salmon along with the parmesan and cooking water; toss to combine. A glossy sauce should form.
Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of parsley to finish.
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