Creamy salmon pasta

• salmon fillet↗2
• olive oil↗1 tbsp tbsp

  plus 1 tsp if roasting

• penne↗175g g
• shallot↗2

  or 1 small onion, finely chopped

• garlic clove↗1

  minced

• white wine↗100ml ml
• double‑cream↗200ml ml

  or crème fraîche

• lemon↗¼

  zest and juice

• dill↗½ small bunch

  finely chopped

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   You can either steam or bake the salmon, depending on whether you want to preheat the oven. To bake, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6, place the fillet on a tray, drizzle with oil and bake for 12 minutes until the fish is opaque and the flesh flakes when pressed. To steam, place the fillet skin‑side down in a steamer and steam over a pot of boiling water for 8‑10 minutes until done.

2. 2

   While the salmon cooks, boil the pasta for 10 minutes until al dente, then drain, reserving 100 ml of the pasta cooking water.

3. 3

   Heat the oil over medium heat in a wide skillet and sauté the shallot for 6 minutes until soft but not golden. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes until the volume reduces by half, then add the cream and season well. Bring to a gentle boil.

4. 4

   Divide the cooked salmon into large pieces, leaving the skin on. Add it to the sauce together with the cooked pasta. Add the lemon zest, a little juice and most of the dill. If needed, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to the sauce to loosen it. Gently stir so the salmon remains in large pieces. Taste and, if using double‑cream, you may need a bit more lemon juice. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and the remaining dill. Serve with a green salad.