Pasta with salmon and chive cream sauce

Right about at the time when cherries, magnolias and apple trees envelope my neighborhood in almost obscenely showy clouds and drifts of pink and white, I look out at my herb garden and see that the chives are getting to a point where it is time to harvest.


If there ever was plant that you can ignore in terms of gardening needs, it's chives. Plant them once and they will faithfully return year in and year out, first with delicate tendrils, then more robust stalks, followed by the prettiest, edible purple flowers. They thrive in containers too, if your space is limited.

This dish is another one of my "oh my god, what are we going to have for dinner" recipes. It's quick, easy, inexpensive and of course delicious. With just a few simple ingredients, it ends up looking and tasting like a fancy meal. 
My all-time favorite response to this was the 3-year-old daughter of a friend who, using her hands as utensils, gobbled two nearly adult-size servings and then in a very Oliver Twist-like way held out her bowl for more....

Salmon & Chive Cream Sauce on Pasta

Serves 3-4

1 pound of pasta (any kind you like)
1 package of smoked salmon
a couple of shallots
2/3 cup cream
2 cloves garlic
a handful of chives
butter
crushed black pepper


Shallots are gentler and sweeter than other onions, but any other onion can be used too.


Dice shallots and garlic, add a pat of butter to the pan and gently sweat the onions for about 10 minutes until translucent (do not allow to brown).
Add cream and let simmer on low until cream thickens a bit, roughly 15 minutes
If it gets too thick just add more cream.

Meanwhile get the pasta going.


When pasta is almost done cut salmon into bite size pieces, chop up the chives and add both to the cream. Stir gently.  The salmon will go from clear to opaque quickly and falls apart if stirred too vigorously. Season with lots of black pepper and depending on how salty the salmon is add salt as needed.
Drain pasta, add salmon cream sauce..Voila! 

As this is a fairly substantial dish I like to serve a bit less than a full portion and add a nice salad to cut the heaviness. Arugula with lemon wedges and a peppery lemon dressing was the perfect foil.

P.S. Smoked salmon freezes really well, so keep some on hand. The high fat content lets it defrosts in minutes.