Florence Fabricant’s Fettucine with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

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Florence Fabricant

Is the asparagus better than ever this year? Or is it just more welcome than ever? How did it manage to poke its heads through ground that remained frozen far later this year than last? And, once thawed, how did those same shoots survive when they were immediately covered with six inches of snow? Perhaps it’s not just more welcome, it’s to be applauded for getting here at all. I cannot use enough asparagus now. And when I saw Florence Fabricant’s recipe, it went to the top the what-to-cook-now list. Ms. Fabricant is the longtime food critic for the New York Times. She’s also the author of no less than eleven cookbooks. Her beat at the Times includes gathering information on everything from Restaurant Openings to Chefs on the move to the latest in food trends and products. ( I am proud to say that Monte’s Ham was one of those when we first came to market. ) In addition to all her writing, she is an inspired cook and her recipes produce wonderful results. This one is an excellent example of that. In addition to supplying us with ample reason to eat more asparagus, Ms. Fabricant adds the sumptuous flavor of smoked salmon to a shallot cream sauce. Then the sauce is poured over fresh green fettuccine noodles and sprinkled with dill. And all this happens in just over 30 minutes. But first, a little about that smoked salmon.

New Yorkers have an uncommon fondness for smoked salmon. Some think that the bagel was invented with only one thing in mind: to be slathered with cream cheese topped with smoked salmon. Capers and red onion and tomatoes share the plate with the salmon. In New York, smoked salmon has several names: To the generation of immigrants living on the Lower East Side of New York, Lox is the name given to brined—not smoked— salmon. It comes directly from the Yiddish and German word for ‘salmon’. And for many descendents of these earlier New Yorkers, regardless of how it is made, Lox is smoked salmon.

Salmon Fishing in the Gaspé

And then there is Nova. Nova is so ubiquitous that many New Yorkers lump all smoked fish together as Nova. This is the smoked salmon you find in any little deli in the city. Like Champagne, Nova is a regional name restricted to fish from the waters around the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. There’s also Gaspé Nova from my home province of Quebec. This is the classic: hardwood-smoked and silky, it’s got a little bite and just hint of fish flavor. This was the smoked salmon I chose to make Ms. Fabricant’s recipe. It comes in packages of 4 oz. which is exactly the recipe calls for. And it falls about in the middle of the smoked salmon lexicon: Not as mild as Norwegian, not as strong as Scottish Salmon, which form the two ends of the smoky flavor scale. Gaspé Nova is cold-smoked after spending time in a mild brine. The smoking is a slow process and a very exacting one. The heat of the oven must never rise above 83 degrees and the fish is infused with a ‘secret blend’ of wood essences. But it is sure worth the wait. The result is a silky-textured smoked salmon that was just right for this recipe. And here it is.

Recipe for Florence Fabricant’s Fettucine with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Serves 4. Takes under 35 minutes to make.

½ pound fresh asparagus, medium thickness

Salt

1 tablespoon butter

½ tablespoon minced shallots

1 cup heavy cream

4 ounces smoked salmon sliced 1/4-inch thick

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

9 to 10 ounces fresh green futtuccine noodles

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

1. Snap off the ends of the asparagus where they break naturally. Cut the asparagus on a slant to pieces about an inch and a half long.

Steam the asparagus until they are just barely tender and still bright green, about three minutes. Rinse under cold water, drain well on paper towels and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

2.While the water is coming to a boil, melt the butter in a large heavy skillet. Add the shallots and saute until soft but not brown. Stir in the cream and simmer about five minutes, until the cream has thickened somewhat.

Cut the salmon into slivers, add it to the cream and remove the skillet from the heat. Season with pepper and lemon juice. Add the asparagus.

When the pot of water is boiling, add the fettuccine, stir it once or twice, then cook two to three minutes after the water has returned to a boil. Drain well

3. Briefly reheat the sauce. Add the fettuccine and gently toss it in the the sauce over it and toss. Sprinkle with dill and serve.

Florence Fabricant’s Fettucine with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

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