Pasta Primavera with Smoked Salmon

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The name says it all: “First Green”. Buy every fresh, springtime vegetable they’ve got at the market, and put it in!

Serves 6

Ingredients    

1 lb flat pasta, such as linguine or fettuccine
2-3 lbs of mixed fresh spring vegetables, including:

Zucchini and yellow squash
Asparagus
Peas
Fava beans
Fiddleheads (a New England specialty!)
Swiss chard/escarole/spinach   

2 large shallots
2 cloves garlic
Fresh basil, enough for ¼ cup chopped
Fresh marjoram, enough for 1 tsp chopped
1 lemon
8 oz smoked salmon
4 tablespoons butter
Salt
¼ cup cream
1 cup pea tendrils

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vegetables.
    1. Zucchini and summer squash: wash, trim off ends, slice
    2. Asparagus: wash, trim off tough bottoms, and cut into 1½ inch pieces
    3. Peas and fava beans: shell
    4. Fiddleheads: wash
    5. For all the above: blanch in lightly salted boiling water until somewhat tenderized, but still retaining some crunch. Plunge immediately into an ice bath to halt cooking.
    6. For the fava beans, peel the outer layer off after blanching, and use only the bright green inner bean.
    7. Swiss chard/escarole/spinach: Saute in a skillet with a little olive oil, until just barely wilted.
  2. Peel and mince the shallots. Peel and mince the garlic. Chop the basil leaves to obtain ¼ cup. Chop the marjoram leaves finely to obtain 1 tsp. Zest the lemon. Slice the smoked salmon into strips, ½ inch wide.
  3. In a Dutch oven or large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
  4. Add the shallots, and sauté until soft.
  5. Add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Boil water in a large pot. Salt the water, and add the pasta, stirring. Cook until al dente. Reserve ¾ cup of the water, and then drain.
  7. Add the reserved pasta water to the shallots and garlic, and reheat until simmering.
  8. Add the cream, basil, marjoram and lemon zest, and return to a simmer.
  9. Add the pasta and all of the vegetables. Raise heat to medium, and cook until heated through, stirring to mix ingredients. Taste for salt and pepper, adding as necessary.
  10. When pasta is just hot, add the pea tendrils and stir in quickly.
  11. Serve the pasta immediately on warm plates, with strips of smoked salmon on top.