Be my Valentine? - Pasta with Smoked Salmon

Italians make this pasta on Valentine's Day but it is too good to confine to one day of the year.

Pasta with Smoked Salmon

1/2 pound of Pasta, linguine or penne
1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of Smoked Salmon, thinly sliced and cut into shreds
1 Shallot, slice thin
2 tablespoons Butter, preferably unsalted
1/2 cup of heavy Cream
1 tablespoon minced Parsley
1 tablespoon Whiskey, Brandy, Vodka
Salt and Pepper

This is how I do it. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. This sauce is speedy (about 5-7 minutes) so do the preparation work first and do not overcook the sauce or the pasta. Start the sauce after you put the pasta in the boiling water.

Saute the Shallot in Butter until it is transparent. Do not brown. Add the shreds of Salmon, cook a moment until the Salmon changes color, add the liquor and saute until the liquor evaporates. Very gently stir in the cream. Check the seasoning. Add the Parsley. Add the drained pasta to the pan sauce and gently turn the contents until the sauce covers all the pasta. Serve promptly. Ideally diners are already seated and salivating. This is Italian fast food. Whole operation takes 25 minutes start to finish.

Serves two to four depending upon whether you serve as dinner or a first course. Yes, I put grated cheese on the table for those who like it on all pasta. Like me.

Since You've Been Gone Valentine

since you’ve been gone

since you’ve been gone, I’ve been alone.
like an arm without a bone.
dangling limply like a phone that’s out of charge.
like homer without marge.
like an egg without a spoon.
like a dugong on the moon.
like a clownfish without nemo.
like twilight without emo.
like hardy without laurel.
like high ground without the moral.
like disney without walt.
like battery without assault.
like a pet shop without gerbils.
like hitler without goebbels.
like a dilemma without the di,
just a lemma and a sigh.
like déjà without vu,
I am nothing without you.
till the day that you come back,
I’m like whitney without crack.

- Bill Bailey (via acupofpoetry)