Spring Is On Its Way - Lively lemon cream highlights peas and asparagus

Here’s a new recipe that’s just bursting with flavor, brilliant hues of green and vivid pops of red and orange. It’s our fresh Salmon, Peas and Asparagus with Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce! This main dish salad is loaded with peas and asparagus alongside buttery salmon filets . . . it almost sounds too healthy! Gorgeous meets healthy in a one-dish complete meal!

One downfall about this recipe, well, it’s not really a bad thing, is that I munch on it while making it. Am I the only one who secretly does that while cooking? Popping the creamy and cheesy sauced-pasta in our mouths while putting it all together is irresistible. I’m not great at packing creative lunches to take to work, but when we have leftovers from something like this, an awesome lunch is in store to take to the office!

The garlic, lemon, cream, cheese and capers come together perfectly to form a fabulous creamy base for the pasta! Don’t forget to also ladle this creamy sauce on top of the salmon. My husband said while eating with his mouth full, “I want more sauce for the salmon please.”

Music to my ears!

Salmon, Peas and Asparagus with Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce

Lemon Cream Sauce (double this if you like more sauce)

4 Tbsp. butter

3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

juice of 1/2 lemon (more is OK if you want a stronger lemon flavor)

zest of 1 lemon

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiana cheese

2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed thoroughly

2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, or increase according to your preference

Green Mixed Salad

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

4 cups mixed spring lettuce

1 lb. fresh asparagus tips (about 2 inches long)

1 cups (8 oz.) fresh or frozen small spring peas

1 cup sliced almonds

1 lb. farfalle pasta

4 - 6 salmon filets

garlic powder and lemon pepper to use when baking the salmon

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

2. Sprinkle garlic powder and lemon pepper all over the top of salmon filets. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

3. When done, cover with aluminum foil and keep warm in a microwave oven or warm oven while you complete the lemon cream sauce and the salad.

4. While salmon bakes, boil a tall pot of water.

5. While water boils, prepare the lemon cream sauce.

6. Heat the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until aromatic for approximately 3-5 minutes. Do not burn the garlic.

7. Add cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, capers and parmigiana cheese. Heat through on medium heat for approximately 5-10 minutes. Add chopped Italian parsley. Set aside to toss into the pasta.

8. When water boils, add the pasta and cook for about 5-7 minutes until al dente.

9. When finished, strain the pasta and stir in the lemon cream sauce, saving some sauce to the side to pass around to guests.

10. Put the pasta in cream sauce into a nice serving bowl.

11. Assemble the mixed lettuce, peas and asparagus. Sprinkle slivered almonds all over the salad.

12. Place warmed salmon filets on top of lettuce, peas, and asparagus.

13. Slowly pour the extra lemon cream sauce that was set aside over the salmon fillets. Garnish with slivered almonds and Italian parsley.