Smoked Salmon and Courgette Carbonara (Serves 4)
Prep Time:5 mins, Cook Time: 12 mins , Total Time: 17 mins
June 18, 2013
As regular readers may know we’re rather partial to a carbonara in our house. In the main because we always have a steady supply of eggs, albeit a dwindling one these days as our ladies are getting quite frankly a bit old. The kids love it and it so happens to be one of the quickiest and tastiest dinners EVER. In essence Carbonara Rocks. And I do love a pasta dish that can be prepared in the time it takes the pasta to cook. We very rarely have the standard bacon and egg version, as ever feeling the compulsion to ‘veg’ things up somewhat. A popular permutation is my Sausage & Courgette Carbonara and in the Autumn a Roasted Pumpkin Carbonara, but for you today I have a pescatarian and seasonal Smoked Salmon & Courgette Carbonara.
With Jacques’ adoration of all things smoked salmon and Francesca’s recent approval of it we’ve been eating this quite a bit lately. So when June’s Recipes for Life ingredients were announced to be Salmon, Pasta and Courgette I was delighted to be able to blog another Foti family favourite. To recap on my previous Recipes for Life posts, this is a challenge run by Vanesther of Bangers & Mash on behalf of the Somerset based charity SWALLOW. Each month three ingredients are picked and bloggers are invited to concoct wholesome, easy and tasty dishes that use them.
As courgettes are now gloriously in season I shall also be entering my recipe to Ren Behan’s Simple and in Season event. And since this is actually a pretty frugal dinner using smoked salmon trimmings to Credit Crunch Munch, co-hosted by Helen of Fuss Free Flavours and Camila of Fab Food 4 All. And this month Anneli over at Delicieux is taking up the hosting.
Smoked Salmon, Courgettes, Lemon, Eggs
Great For:
Toddlers & Preschoolers, Bigger Kids, Growns Ups, Family Dinners, Grown Up Dinners, Quickie Mid-Week Suppers, Carbonara Addicts, Smoked Salmon Fiends (like Jacques - smoked salmon is his new best thing)
Smoked Salmon and Courgette Carbonara (Serves 4)
Ingredients Prep Time:5 mins, Cook Time: 12 mins , Total Time: 17 mins
200g of dried pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 smallish courgettes, sliced lengthways then diced across into 2/3 mm slices
130g smoked salmon trimmings
3 free range eggs, medium
2 tablespoons finely grated Grana Padana or Parmesan cheese
black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1. Cook the pasta to packet instructions
2. While the pasta’s cooking heat the oil in a (lidded) saucepan and cook the garlic for a minute. Throw in the diced courgette and give everything a good stir. Place the lid on and allow the courgette to sweat for the time it takes your pasta to cook. Stir every now and again and add a splash of water if they’re looking a little dry.
3. While the courgettes and pasta are cooking, lightly whisk together the eggs, then stir in the cheese and a generous pinch of black pepper. Set aside.
4. Once your pasta’s cooked and drained and the courgettes are soft combine them both together and stir through the egg and cheese mix, together with the lemon juice. But don’t put the pan back on the heat or your eggs will scramble!. What you want is lovely glossy eggy coating.
5. Taste and season with more black pepper and/or lemon juice.
Oh this is wonderful, I too am a big carbonara fan and never thought to use salmon, the zucchini is a great addition also. Quick and easy meal and delicious too!
Why thanking you, the salmon makes it a good deal lighter than the normal bacon version, and I can’t resist adding a veggie!
I always add courgettes to my carbonara but I tend to grate them. I’ll have to try this chunkier version and I love the addition of smoked salmon too. I bet it’s delicious!
Now I never thought of grating them! Wouldn’t even have to cook them then? I find a carbonara without a veggie just a little too heavy.
You just add them a couple of minutes before the end of cooking time, just to warm through. It gives some virtue to a creamy pasta without being obviously healthy
Now that sounds like a supper dish that wants to give my tummy a hug! It looks so comforting and delicious. You can’t go wrong with a big bowl of pasta like yours. Great entry for Credit Crunch Munch
Cheers me dear! It’s my summer comfort food nirvana! Though gets made a little too often….
This looks delicious Louisa! Love the idea of smoked salmon in carbonara. Delectable!
Thanks Anne, it’s a lighter but equally as tasty version.
Looks so yummy and love the speediness of prep for a midweek family dinner Louisa. Are your courgettes ready in the garden? Our courgette plants are looking as if they’re enjoying the warmer weather (us too!) but we have a little way to go before we’re eating them. I love having them in the garden, particularly so that I can pick those little finger sized ones that are so tasty though - can’t wait!
Sadly no courgettes in the garden, it’s slowly all winding up (for now anyway) as I’m heading back to the UK soon. Shall be blogging very soon about my new venture! Will be very excited to try my hand at veggie growing on english soil next year though :))
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Sounds amazing - I adore carbonara, and our courgettes are just starting to bulk up in the polytunnel, so will save this recipe for when they do!
Ah thanks, do let me know if you make it!
Absolutly delicious !
I love this recipe but no courgettes in the garden at the moment in Brittany, too soon !
Thanks Dominique! I bet your courgettes won’t be long….?!
I am really enjoying your blog, thank you! John
Thanks John, and welcome to my blog!
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I used this recipe this evening as a base for a fresh salmon carbonara. I cooked the fish in the microwave first, and used peas instead of courgettes. It was delicious!! Thanks for sharing!