Pappardelle with Salmon and Cheese sauce

One reason why FF's playing a supportive partner to my blogging career, ( yes, I'm calling it that since I tend  to spend more hours doing this that the other one! ) is because he got to say his piece on what goes into the table. He makes suggestions, gives me a clue and sometimes even tells  me what to do.  He seemed to egg me on pretty good these days. It gives him pretty good cards since he had  once a passive role in the kitchen.Such a sharp cookie!  Before, he merely waits and anticipates to what is to be served. OK wait, before few girls roar, Machismo. I cook since I love cooking and he can't but  he does the dishes after. It's a give and take kind of thing which works pretty well.

Back then, the poor guy has to put up with me wanting to eat rice every single day!I can't help it, I'm Filipino! Not seeing rice for a week will be the death to me, it's like depriving Popeye his spinach. Looks like FF's much happier with our current setting. This is another request from him. He said, it's his favorite. I'm trying not to rely too much on that! He calls everything he likes, his favorite. I cooked 5 kinds of curries and he called each of them his ''favorite''--what gives?! Well, that's FF,  he simply doens't have a way with words. He however, doens't hold back on showing how much he likes his food. Gives a thumbs up sign in every mouthful it looked funny. Action still speaks louder that words .



FF and I are like  chalk and cheese but there are few things we share in common. For example, we both like Dim Sum ....and Salmon. There's no fish in the ocean, river, pond , puddle or any water body that we enjoyed more than this fish. We have been eating too much of it, we might as well join Grizzly bears in the Atlantic in their hunt . It's not the easiest fish to handle in the kitchen ( that's my humble opinion), cooked too long ( it could be matter of minutes!) and it will dry out.To us, Salmon is at its best when the it is lightly fried in a tad of butter . When the outside rendered a fine hint  of crustiness while  the insides remain juicy and succulent. Putting in into a pasta dish  requires a tender and almost loving care. Why am I always so dramatic when describing food anyway?

Look at my silver sticker!

Since it claimed to have won a silver price  at the German Gastronomic Academy, I excitedly grab this book. After that,  my gaze  wandered  to ever space and dark corners searching for  the gold sticker .Why settle for less,right ?  But it looks to me, that entire Germany already figure that out since I can't find one anywhere! Anyway, flipping through its pages, I saw a recipe that made a good impression. I then decided to give it a try. I bet it tasted way better than the recipes on the book with a bronze sticker. Hah!

Papperdelle with Salmon and Cheese sauce

The recipe is short and simple enough to follow, use pasta of your choice. Linguine, Spaghetti, Fettucine or Taglioni could be substituted. Here's how it is done.

Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a  pan and add in 1 medium size chopped onion, sautee until translucent then add 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. Pour 100 ml of dry white wine and quarter of a cup vegetable stock and bring it to a  a boil. After simmering for few minutes, add 150 g of Creme Fraiche or sour cream.

Turn the heat to medium and bring it  a soft boil. Then add 150 g of freshly grated Gruyere cheese. Let it simmer for five minutes ,not longer. If cheese is cooked too long, it well get lumpy and stick together. We want a creamy thin sauce, not watery with a big lump of elastic ,melted cheese  .   Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook 400 g pasta as instructed.In another Pan ( FF's going to be crazy again after seeing all the  dishes.) Heat  1 tbsp if butter, add 500 g of washed, pat dried  and fresh salmon fillet (cut into about 2 cm thick slices).  Drizzle with lemon juice from 1 lemon and put 2 red chili pepper (cut into strips). Let the salmon cook for three  minutes gently tossing it once or twice. Season with salt and pepper.



Take the noodles out from the pot and sieve. Transter into a clean and big pan ( sorry FF!) , pour the cheese sauce, cook for a minute mixing  thoroughly. Add  in chopped chives. Toss the salmon and chili  in ( gently to avoid breaking it apart) and serve smoking hot.


 Bon appetito!