Long Distance Ritual: Salmon Asparagus Pasta

Admittedly, it has been awhile since my girlfriend and I exchanged recipes pursuant to our little "long distance ritual," as described in full detail in a prior post. To add a bit of humiliation, she's been giving me more recipes than vice versa...in fact, I don't think I have given her anything to cook thus far. Well, today, after saying good night to her (time-zone consequences), I went through a not-so-normal bout of missing her and started to feel the significant distance at an odd time of the day. Luckily for me, I finished up work early and took the opportunity to swing by the supermarket to gather some fish and ingredients, and attempt to concoct something delicious for dinner. After all, it's about time that I live up to my end of the promise/ritual and give her something to try out in the cucina.

The result?

Salmon Asparagus Pasta. It's a cream-based sauce, but because of the portions, it came out lighter than expected.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Asparagus, cut into about 1-inch pieces

Half a box of Angel Hair pasta

1.5 Tbsp Butter

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Lemon Pepper

2/3- 1 lb. Salmon fillet

2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced

Parsley

Rock/Kosher Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

Recipe:

Place salmon fillet on baking sheet (I used an olive oil cooking spray over the sheet). Season your salmon fillet with the salt and black pepper, and then add the parsley and minced garlic over the fillet. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Bake for around 12 minutes or until salmon is flakey.

Boil a pot for your pasta, but before you place the pasta inside the pot, put in the asparagus pieces for around 2 minutes to soften the asparagus a bit, but not too long so that it remains firm. Take out the asparagus, and then cook angel hair pasta with boiling pot.

On a skillet, melt the butter, and then add asparagus pieces. Toss to coat. Add the cream and the lemon pepper. Heat until cream begins to thicken. Add pasta, salmon, Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper, then toss. Voila!