Pappardelle with Salmon and Peas in Pesto Cream Sauce

This recipe is amazing. Restaurant worthy. I don’t often sing praises like that but wow, it was that good. It wasn’t a very frugal meal due to spending $10 on the salmon, it was worth every bit though. Ford was heart-broken upon finding out there were no leftovers 😉 I found the recipe in the most recent issue of Coastal Living Magazine. The few changes I did was use more salmon (yum), non-fat evaporated milk instead of cream, lower-fat cream cheese and I left out the lemon zest as I had lemon pepper Pappardelle pasta I had found at Trader Joe’s. Did I mention it was beyond delicious?

Pappardelle with Salmon and Peas in Pesto Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces lemon pepper Pappardelle pasta (or plain)
• 1 cup frozen green peas (no-salt used)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb wild Alaskan salmon fillet, skin removed (used Sockeye)
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• ¾ cup non-fat evaporated milk
• 2 ounces lower-fat cream cheese
• 6.5 ounce jar pesto (or ½ cup + 2 Tbsp)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil, cook the pasta for time on package. Add in the peas in the last-minute of cooking, drain.

Meanwhile heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the salmon with the salt and pepper, add the oil to the skillet and the salmon. Cook covered till cripsy, about 5 minutes or so, flip over and cook till done, another 5 or so minutes. Transfer to a plate and use a fork to flake into pieces.

Scrape the skillet of any remaining salmon, put back on the stove and add the milk. Let simmer a couple of minutes, turn to medium-low and whisk in the cream cheese and pesto till the cream cheese melts. Toss with the hot pasta and peas, gently toss the salmon in.

Serve immediately.

Serves 3 & a toddler.

~Sarah