I first cooked this healthy salmon pasta recipe over 35 years ago and just rediscovered it. Based on the enthusiastic response from my posse of beta-tasters, it deserves to be included on The 5 Tastes Table website, and will become a regular on our home menu. Very easy to prepare, the light, creamy, lemon and dill inflected sauce is a perfect match for the broiled salmon. You can use either freshly cooked or left-over salmon. The original recipe calls for capellini or angel hair pasta, but I prefer a pasta like the trumpet-mushroom shaped campanelle pasta that captures and holds the light sauce for each sumptuous bite. After you try this dish, you may decide to make it a regular on your home menu as well.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (24 fl oz)

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/3 cup vodka (or dry vermouth)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

• 2 teaspoons capers

• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• 2 cups flaked broiled salmon (wild, or farm raised Faroe Islands Salmon)

• 12 oz campanelle pasta

Preparation:

1. Place a large (6-8 quart) pot of water with a teaspoon of salt on the stove to bring to a boil.

2. Cook the onion in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened (but not browned), about 6 minutes.

3. Add broth, cream, vodka, and salt and boil over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced to 2 cups, 40 to 50 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the dill, capers, lemon zest and juice, and pepper.

5. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce, then add the salmon to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat until the fish is just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. While the fish is heating in the sauce, add the pasta to the pot of boiling salted water and cook about 8 minutes until al dente.

7. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water and then drain pasta in a colander.

8. Return pasta to pot, then toss with reserved ½ cup of sauce and cooking water.

9. Serve pasta immediately with fish and sauce spooned over the top.

10. Garnish with chopped dill and coarse-ground black pepper, and an optional pinch of red pepper flakes.

*Note: Bright green, sweet, crunchy sugar-snap peas make a good side dish to serve with this pasta dish. Or, try a slightly bitter, peppery Arugula and Manchego Salad dressed with a light Grapefruit and Honey Vinaigrette.

**Note: A dry Viognier or soft Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc pair beautifully with this light, creamy, lemony-dill inflected sauce.

Adapted from: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/capellini-with-salmon-and-lemon-dill-vodka-sauce-232148