TAGLIATELLE AND SALMON WITH SAUCE AU BEURRE DE VIN BLANC À LA CRÈME

“A fabulous dish to make for that special occasion,” says Capsicum Culinary Studio’s Chef Donovan.

Ingredients Sauce

280g fresh pasta (recipe below) 100g salmon cut into 5mm slices 1 fennel bulb olive oil as needed salt to taste black pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves whole

¼ yellow pepper, thinly sliced

¼ red pepper, thinly sliced 8 caperberries

125ml dry white wine

125g butter

180ml cream

30ml cream cheese fresh dill for garnish fresh chives for garnish

2 lemon wedges for juice and to serve.

Dill Oil

50g dill

10g parsley leaves 250ml olive oil

For the Pasta Dough

250g flour 1 egg 10ml water 5ml dill oil

Method Dill Oil

Blanch the dill and parsley in salted boiling water for 15-20 seconds and refresh in ice water bath. Drain and dry well, to a blender add half the oil and blanched herbs and blend until smooth then add the remaining oil with the blender still running. Let settle for 15-20 minutes. Strain and reserve for use.

Pasta Dough

Create a well in the flour and add the eggs, 5ml dill oil and 5ml water and mix into the flour by using a swirling motion with your finger until the flour is incorporated, add extra water if needed. Knead on a work surface until a firm dough is formed. Rest the dough in plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes or until needed.

When ready roll out in a pasta machine setting 7 - then pass it through the tagliatelle cutter.

Sauce

Pre-heat oven to 200°c on bake setting, get salted water boiling to cook the pasta. Cut fennel into quarters, drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile heat a griddle pan until smoking hot, sear the fennel until brown and keep rotating until you have colour on all sides. Transfer to a sheet pan, add the whole garlic cloves, cover with foil and place in oven to roast for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Keep aside. (Squeeze out the garlic for use later).

Heat up a sauté pan and add olive oil. Sauté the peppers, roasted garlic and capers. Add salt and pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pepper mixture from the pan, clear access fat (from pan) and return to the heat. Add the wine and thyme then reduce by half.

Slowly add the butter a little at a time while whisking and emulsified until all the butter has been incorporated. Stir in the cream and cream cheese until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

Return the pepper mixture to the cream sauce and cook on low heat for the flavours to develop. This won’t take long.

Meanwhile boil the pasta until al dente (4 minutes). Remove pasta from the water and add to the cream mixture and toss to coat.

Lightly drizzle the salmon with oil and season with salt and pepper.

In a hot skillet, sear the fish for a minute on each side, squeeze over some lemon juice and serve on top of the pasta dish. Garnish with fresh dill or fennel, chives and drizzle with a few drops of dill oil.