Great Recipe for Salmon with Fava beans and pasta

Um, see the pretty fava beans? I found them when I was shopping for my Greek dinner. I had to have them. I also took out some salmon for dinner and I know that salmon and fava taste gooood together.

So, I have one little problem with this post...

See this?



This is what the salmon would have looked like if I hadn't been so hungry that I ate it and forgot to take a picture of the finished plate. This will have to do. I know that you all have good imaginations.



This is what the pasta actually did look like but it tasted even better. You have to try this one. It was really good.

Pan Seared Copper River Salmon with Pasta, Favas and Fennel
adapted from Restaurant Widow website

Two 4-6 ounce Copper River Salmon fillets, skin on, but looked over to be sure all scales have been removed (I used Coho)
Olive Oil for cooking, and extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
2 cups dried smooth pasta shape such as gemelli, or these fun calamari rings (I used regular pasta)
1 small tin (1 ounce) anchovy fillets, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pasta water
1/4 cup white wine
1 juice from 1 lemon
1 pound fresh fava beans, hulled, blanched, hulled and shocked in ice bath
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed of any brown bits and sliced very thinly (I didn't have this and I was too lazy to go to the store but it would be great in this recipe)
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, then set aside; you should cook it right next to the sauce, so that you can add the pasta water easily.

For the fennel: place shaved fennel in a small bowl and drizzle with about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle with juice of 1/2 lemon, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Set aside.

For the sauce: Heat one tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat and add the chopped anchovies and minced garlic; mash with a wooden spoon and cook until everything has practically melted together, about 10 minutes or so. I like to do this first and then get on with everything else. When they have melted, turn the heat up to high and add the pasta water (I like to add it directly from the boiling pasta, right before it's done); reduce until the water is almost evaporated, then add the white wine. Cook until you have just a nice, thick sauce (there will only be a small amount) and then add the drained pasta to the mixture. Turn the heat off and drizzle with about 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and juice from half of the lemon. Add the favas and stir to coat. Taste and correct seasoning: you probably won't need salt, because of the anchovies, but a nice crack of pepper will be nice.

For the salmon: Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the fillets skin side down in the pan (you should hear sizzling) and don't move them!! Allow to cook for about 3 minutes and the place the pan in the oven while you get on with everything else, or about 5 minutes for a nice medium - medium well. (Notice: I never turned the salmon. It won't stick, I promise. The trick is to not move it)

Place the pasta in bowls and put a salmon fillet on top. Top with the fennel salad and serve.

Thank you Restaurant Widow. Your picture looked very professional and not anything like mine. I almost "borrowed" it but I knew how unethical and dishonest that was. So, my poor readers are stuck with a cheap facsimile of a coho salmon (no, I didn't even use the Copper River Salmon AND mine was from Trader Joe's and FROZEN).