Pappardelle In Lemon Cream Sauce W. Asparagus And Smoked Salmon

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb asparagus
• 2 large shallots
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 lb smoked salmon, sliced
• 1 lb pappardelle pasta
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Recipe

• 1 trim asparagus and diagonally cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• 2 finely chop shallots.
• 3 finely grate enough lemon zest to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons and squeeze enough juice to measure 3 tablespoons.
• 4 cut salmon into 2 x 1/2-inch strips.
• 5 fill a 6-quart pasta pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for asparagus and pasta.
• 6 have ready a bowl of ice and cold water.
• 7 cook asparagus in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, and with a slotted spoon transfer to ice water to stop cooking.
• 8 reserve water in pot over low heat, covered.
• 9 drain asparagus and set aside some asparagus tips for garnish.
• 10 in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet cook shallots in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 11 stir in cream and zest and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• 12 stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and remove skillet from heat.
• 13 return water in pot to a boil.
• 14 cook pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente and ladle out and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
• 15 drain pasta in a colander and add to sauce with asparagus, 1/2 cup pasta water, three fourths salmon, remaining tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
• 16 heat mixture over low heat, gently tossing (and adding more remaining pasta water as needed if mixture becomes dry), until just heated through.
• 17 serve pasta garnished with reserved asparagus tips and remaining salmon.