New Old Favorite
A delicious twist on the classic combination of salmon and peas.
Salmon and peas are a venerable New England culinary duo, the Batman and Robin of late-spring and summer buffet tables from Bridgeport to Bangor. But the pair's traditional preparations -- the fish poached and served cold, the veggies drowning in butter -- benefit from a little bit of freshening up.
Here, the dynamic duo joins artichoke hearts, a bechamel sauce, and wide noodles to become a springtime lasagna as fit for guests as it is for family.
Salmon Lasagna with Artichokes and Peas
Makes 1 13-by-9-inch lasagna
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
4 tablespoons butter (½ stick), plus extra
for the dish
2 large shallots, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
4 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1½ teaspoons finely grated zest and 1½ teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry white wine
2 cups clam juice or fish stock
¾ cup milk
1 large bay leaf
2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
2¼ pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut crosswise into ¾-inch pieces
2 9-ounce packages frozen artichoke hearts, cooked and coarsely chopped
2½ cups (1 pound) frozen peas (do not thaw)
In 13-by-9-inch baking dish, soak the noodles in hot tap water for 10 minutes. Remove the noodles and lay them on a clean kitchen towel (or paper towels). Dry the baking dish, grease it with butter, and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the anchovies, thyme, and lemon zest, and cook, stirring constantly, until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1½ minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add the wine, clam juice or fish stock, and milk. Increase heat to medium-high, add the bay leaf, and, continuing to whisk, bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, whisking frequently, until sauce thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes longer. Off heat, stir in the lemon juice, 1/3 cup Parmesan, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Set sauce aside.
With the oven rack in the center position, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and spread ¾ cup sauce in the baking dish. Place 4 noodles in a single layer, spread 1 cup sauce over noodles, cover evenly with half of the artichokes, half of the salmon, and a third of the peas. Repeat the layering of noodles, sauce, artichokes, salmon, and peas. Place the last 4 noodles on top and add the remaining peas, sauce, and remaining Parmesan. Lightly spray a sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the lasagna. Bake until it is just beginning to bubble at the edges, about 18 minutes. Increase the heat to 500 degrees, remove the foil, and continue baking until the top of the lasagna is brown in spots. Cool the lasagna for 15 minutes, cut into pieces, and serve.
Send comments to Adam Ried at cooking@globe.com.
