Farfalle with Salmon and Leeks
SERVES 4 TO 6
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS In this dish, moist, buttery salmon and meltingly tender leeks come together with al dente pasta in a velvety cream sauce. For perfectly tender leeks, we sautéed them in butter until softened. Shallow-poaching the salmon right in the pan with the leeks—we used white wine for the cooking liquid—kept the fish moist and the procedure streamlined. Cream, added directly to the pan, thickened nicely and absorbed the subtle oniony flavor of the leeks. To prevent the salmon from breaking apart into tiny shreds, we set it aside while the cream simmered, then stirred it into the pasta with the sauce so the fillets would separate into fork-friendly bites. Be careful to handle the salmon gently after it’s cooked, or it will break apart into very fine pieces. See the Test Kitchen Tip that follows the recipe.
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2 |
pounds leeks |
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2 |
tablespoons unsalted butter |
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2 |
(6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, 1¼ inches thick |
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1 |
cup dry white wine |
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¾ |
cup heavy cream |
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1 |
pound farfalle |
1. Trim and discard root and dark green leaves from leeks. Halve leeks lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces (click here). Wash cut leeks thoroughly using salad spinner. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until tender, about 7 minutes.
2. Season salmon with salt and pepper and nestle into skillet. Add wine, cover, and cook until salmon is just cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer salmon to plate and cover to keep warm. Stir cream into skillet and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes; remove from heat and cover.
3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sauce and salmon, along with any accumulated juices, and toss gently to combine, breaking salmon into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve.