Lemony Caramelized Fennel and Salmon Pasta
Yield: 4
Lemony Caramelized Fennel and Salmon Pasta
Fennel is the unsung hero of fall & winter produce. For this just-rich-enough yet surprisingly bright pasta dish, we're caramelizing them low and slow for a looooooong time, until they're ultra jammy and practically melt into this creamy sauce (that you have full permission to literally lick every last drop of).
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MTotal time: 1 H & 20 M
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 large bulb fennel, core removed and thinly sliced (reserve fronds for garnish)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed
- Black pepper
- Canola oil
- 1 pound linguine, spaghetti, or any other long pasta shape
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Zest of one lemon (more for serving)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Place a dutch oven (or large skillet — note: you'll eventually be tossing your pasta in this vessel, so choose something large enough!) over medium-high heat. When hot, add two tablespoons olive oil along with the sliced fennel and onion. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and stir. Cover and let the mixture cook down for 10 minutes, until softened and translucent. After 10 minutes, remove lid, adjust heat to low, and stir in the butter. Continue to sauté the mixture for another 35-40 minutes — or until deeply brown and very, very soft. Remove from heat.
- About 10 minutes before the fennel and onions are cooked, set a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Season both sides of the salmon fillet with kosher salt and black pepper. Place a separate skillet over high heat, and add 1 tablespoon canola oil, swirling to coat the pan. When the skillet is just beginning to smoke, add the salmon and sear for 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your salmon, or until medium-rare. Remove to a clean cutting board to rest, and reserve until ready to plate.
- When water is boiling, add pasta. Boil for about 8 1/2 minutes, or just about two minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 2 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water, and drain the pasta into a colander.
- Meanwhile, set the pot with fennel & onion mixture over medium-low heat and add heavy cream, red pepper flakes, and a 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until slightly reduced and thickened. Add the drained pasta, along with the lemon zest and 2 cups of the starchy pasta water, and toss to combine. Keep the pasta moving for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce is glossy and thick, and the pasta is perfectly al dente. (If the sauce becomes too dry, add splashes of pasta water as necessary.)
- To finish the pasta, add lemon juice while tossing and stir to fully combine. Taste, and adjust for salt as needed. Since the pasta water is salty, it's highly likely that you'll be all set on the salt front! To serve, spoon into bowls while hot. Flake off large chunks of the seared salmon and sprinkle over the top of each bowl. Sprinkle with black pepper and red pepper flakes, and top with the reserved fennel fronds and additional lemon zest, if using. Serve with lemon wedges, for squeezing, and devour while hot.