IN THE POT | LINGUINE WITH SAFFRON, PRAWNS & SALMON

My Father made this dish for me a few years ago now and for some reason I have been craving it for the past week or so.  It’s quite a simple dish to make and takes about 15 minutes.  The ingredients can run a little on the expensive side, so it’s a good thing you don’t need a lot of them.

I was a little slack and just used tinned tomatoes instead of doing the whole peel and seed thing.  It’s probably a little nicer with a little bit of work. (I’m sure my Dad did it the hard way… )

The meal was lovely, but it wasn’t up to what I had in my head.  I guess it’s one of those things that food always tastes better when you don’t prepare it.  Plus my Dad is a bit of a Masterchef so I didn’t really stand a chance. HUBBY didn’t complain though, so that’s always a good sign.

Linguine with Saffron, Prawns and Salmon

12 oz thick salmon fillet

7 fl oz dry white wine

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil,plus for garnish

6 ripe plum tomatoes skinned,seeded and finely diced

1/4 pint double cream

a pinch of saffron strands

12 oz linguine

4 oz small peeled cooked prawns

sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the grill to high or preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the salmon skin-side down in a baking tin and drizzle with a splash of the wine and the oil. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or roast for 8 minutes, until just beginning to brown on top but still quite underdone in the center. Set aside to cool.

2.Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, put the tomatoes and cream a large pan and bring to the boil, stirring well. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the saffron and the remaining wine. Simmer for 5-7 minutes,until reduced and slightly thickened.

3. Add the pasta to the boiling salted water,easing it in gently. Stir and return to a gentle rolling boil, then cook for 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Meanwhile, flake the salmon into fairly large chunks, discarding the skin.

4. Add the salmon and prawns to the sauce and stir until the fish is well coated. Season to taste. Drain the pasta,reserving a little of the cooking liquid,and add to the sauce. Toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately, garnishing with some torn basil leaves.

Source: Step by Step Recipes