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Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives

Spaghetti with smoked salmon
Smoked salmon, herb fennel and chives

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives is probably the  quickest and easiest pasta dish.   It is done in the time that it takes to cook the pasta – which is usually around 10 to 15 minutes – and only needs a single saucepan.   It is also extremely tasty with the cream absorbing the savoury, salty smoked salmon flavour and allowing it to permeate the whole dish.   Although smoked salmon is often considered a luxury food, and can be expensive,  a little goes a long way and it is fine to use smoked salmon trimmings which are sold in most supermarkets and are a lot more affordable.

The use of fresh herbs to enhance dishes and the ease with which this can be done – you just chop them up and add them at the end of cooking – is highlighted in this dish.   I have referred to Herb Fennel, to differentiate it from the bulb fennel, often used in Italian cooking.  Both the Herb and bulb fennel share an aniseed taste.  Therefore, if you do not have Herb Fennel, dill is a good substitute.

My daughter, who is a pescatarian and therefore eats fish but not meat, describes this pasta sauce as being like spaghetti carbonara for non-meat eaters.  I think she is right – there is definitely an echo in this dish of the creamy, salty taste created by pancetta and eggs in a carbonara.

Uses

I often make this dish as a quick family supper but, as the smoked salmon makes it seem luxurious, it is also a really good easy option for a dinner party or for a date night!    It would certainly be a good choice for a romantic meal as it is so quick and tasty and is easy for those with little cooking experience to prepare (and, unusually for my pasta recipes, it does not include garlic!)

 

Spaghetti with smoked salmon
Smoked salmon, herb fennel and chives
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Smoked salmon, fennel and chives

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives

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  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: for 4 people 1x
  • Category: Pasta
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This quick and easy pasta dish combines delicious smoked salmon with fennel and lemon.   It takes a matter of minutes to prepare and is perfect for supper after a long day at work.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 500 g dried spaghetti
  • Salt
  • 100 g smoked salmon (smoked salmon trimmings are fine)
  • 2 fronds of herb fennel (or dill)
  • Bunch of chives (about 6 stems)
  • 150 ml double cream
  • A knob of butter
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  1. Fill the large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.   When boiling, add a pinch of salt, put the spaghetti in the saucepan and cook according to instructions (generally this will be for around 10 minutes).
  2. Meanwhile, cut the smoked salmon into small pieces and finely chop the herb fennel and chives.
  3. When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and return it to the saucepan.  Stir in the smoked salmon pieces, chopped herbs, double cream and knob of butter.   Grate a little lemon zest over the pasta – the amount will depend on how lemony you like your pasta.   Season with black pepper.  There is no need to add any extra salt as the smoked salmon will be very salty.
  4. Remove the pasta from the pan and serve.
Spaghetti with smoked salmon
Mix the sauce with the spaghetti

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Prawn Pasta with Sorrel and Chive Herb Butter

Apricot Tart

Apricot Tart recipe
Apricot Tart

Apricot Tart

This Apricot Tart consists of a buttery frangipane filling, topped with fresh, seasonal apricots, contained in a crisp pastry case.   Frangipane is made from ground almonds, sugar, butter and eggs and is used in many sweet recipes, such as Bakewell Tart.   The taste of almonds has a particular flavour affinity with stoned fruit, such as apricots or cherries.

I love the vibrant orange-purple colour of fresh apricots.   It is so different from the rather sickly yellowy-pink colour that is generally called “apricot”.   I think that this tart really shows off the beautiful, cheerful colour of fresh apricots!

If you are planning a picnic this summer, this is the perfect tart.   It looks beautiful and is great if you are going to a more formal outdoor event such as an open-air concert or play.   It is robust enough to survive being transported in a picnic basket and provides just the right combination of gooey almond filling and fresh, zingy fruit.

As an alternative, you could try my Cherry Tart which has the same pastry and frangipane elements, just topped with a different fruit.   This makes it very easy to double the ingredients for the pastry and frangipane and make both!

Apricot Tart

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Apricot tart recipe

Apricot Tart

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1 tart serving 8 people 1x
  • Category: Tart
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This beautiful tart combines fresh, seasonal apricots with buttery almond frangipane in a crisp pastry case.

Ingredients

Scale

For the pastry:

  • 275 g plain flour
  • 125 g fat (I use a mix of half butter and half Trex as I think this makes the lightest pastry)
  • Salt and pepper
  • A little water

For the filling:

  • 140 g golden caster sugar
  • 140g ground almonds
  • 140 g butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon apricot brandy
  • 3–4 large fresh apricots
  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam
Apricot Tart recipe
Apricot Tart – ready for the oven

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl.  Add the fat and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add a little cold water (2-3 tbsp) and shape the mixture into a dough.
  3. Roll out your pastry and use it to line a 19 cm quiche or flan dish.   Bake for 5  minutes in the oven to allow the pastry to “set”.  This will stop the filling making it soggy!
  4. To make the filling, put the sugar, ground almonds and butter in a bowl and beat using a food processer or hand blender until pale and creamy.   Add the eggs and apricot brandy and continue to beat until incorporated into the mixture.
  5. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and smooth down the top with a knife.
  6. Wash the apricots.  Cut each apricot in half and remove the stone.  Slice each apricot into segments.
  7. Place the apricot segments on top of the filling.
  8. Place the tart in the oven and bake for around 40 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven.  While the tart is still hot, use a pastry brush to add a thin coating of apricot jam on the top. This will make enhance the appearance of the tart by making the fruit look shiny and also add an extra boost of flavour.
  10. This tart can be eaten warm or cold.

Love this recipe?  You may like this too

Cherry Tart

Cherry Tart

Cherry Tart

This Cherry Tart recipe brings together luscious fresh cherries with a sweet frangipane filling, made with ground almonds, set in a crisp pastry case.  Cherries and almonds are brilliant flavour companions.

Serve this tart either warm or at room temperature.  You can have it as a dessert or pudding, possibly with some cream or ice cream. Alternatively, you can have it with coffee or afternoon tea. This flexibility makes it a brilliant addition to picnics.  The fruity sweetness of the cherries supported by the more substantial almond filling is just want  you want after a day in the fresh air!

You can use any kind of fresh, seasonal cherries for this Cherry Tart recipe.  I particularly like using the dark red-purple cherries.   Cherries come in all kinds of colours from yellow through to dark purple.  If you are lucky enough to have access to more than one type, you could get really creative with the decoration. 

As an alternative, you could try my Apricot Tart which has the same pastry and frangipane elements, just topped with a different fruit.   This makes it very easy to double the ingredients for the pastry and frangipane and make both! If you have an over-supply of fresh cherries, you might also be interested in my Cherry Ice Cream.

What you need to know about this recipe

  • I generally make my own pastry. I was a late learner when it came to pastry and for years used ready-made versions. However, a few years ago I decided I had to get to grips with pastry-making and discovered how easy it is. If you have the time to make your own pastry, it is really worth doing as the taste will be much better than anything you can buy in the shops. However, if you don’t have the time or inclination, you can make this recipe using ready-made pastry and it will still taste pretty good.
  • Whether you are making your own pastry or using ready-made, it is really important to bake the empty pastry case in the oven for 20 minutes before you add the filling (step 3). This sets the pastry and means that it is properly cooked so it will be crisp and delicious rather than soft and soggy.
  • You can use any kind of fresh cherries to make this recipe. You can use any kind of cherries to make this tart. However, make sure that they are sweet and full of flavour. The best way to check this is by eating one! The better the flavour of your cherries, the better the flavour of your tart. I used dark cherries but you you can use any colour, or a mix of colours, to make your tart.
  • I use kirsch, a cherry-based spirit, in the filling (step 4) but you can leave this out if you prefer.
  • A glaze of cherry jam makes your tart look beautiful and glossy. However, this step is not essential.

Other easy dessert recipes

If you are looking for an easy, make-ahead dessert, you might also like some of my other recipes.

Cherry Tart recipe

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Cherry Tart recipe with frangipane filling

Cherry Tart

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  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 8
  • Category: Tart
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This luscious tart, made with fresh, seasonal cherries set in a frangipane base encased in crisp pastry, is fantastic eaten at room temperature so makes a great addition to picnics or cold buffets.

Ingredients

Scale

For the pastry:

  • 275 g (10 oz) plain flour
  • 125 g fat (4 oz) I use a mix of half butter and half Trex as I think this makes the lightest pastry)
  • A pinch of salt 
  • A little water

For the filling:

  • 140 g (5 oz)  golden caster sugar
  • 140 g (5 oz)  ground almonds
  • 140 g (5 oz) butter or non-dairy alternative
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon kirsch (optional)
  • 300 g (10 oz) fresh cherries
  • 1 tablespoon cherry jam (optional)

Instructions

Cherry Tart recipe
Place the cherries on the frangipane base
  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl.  Add the fat and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Season with salt.  Add a little cold water (2-3 tbsp) and shape the mixture into a dough.
  3. Roll out your pastry and use it to line a 19 cm quiche or flan dish.   Bake for 20  minutes in the oven to allow the pastry to “set”.  This will stop the filling making it soggy and make sure that the base is crisp and delicious.
  4. To make the filling, put the sugar, ground almonds and butter in a bowl and beat using a food processer or hand blender until pale and creamy.   Add the eggs and kirsch and continue to beat until incorporated into the mixture.
  5. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and smooth down the top with a knife.
  6. Wash the cherries.  Cut each cherry in half and remove the stone.
  7. Place the cherries, cut side down, on top of the filling.
  8. Place the tart in the oven and bake for around 40 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven.  While the tart is still hot, use a pastry brush to add a thin coating of cherry jam on the top. This will make enhance the appearance of the tart by making the fruit look shiny and also add an extra boost of flavour.
  10. This tart can be eaten warm or cold.
Cherry Tart recipe
Make concentric rings of cherries
Ready for the oven

White Currant Cake

White currant recipes
White Currant Cake

White Currant Cake

I came up with the idea for this cake after searching for  “white currant recipes” on Google and finding….not very many!   In my garden, I have a number of long-established currant bushes in my garden.   I always find lots of uses for the red currants and the black currants but always struggle to find recipes that make the most of the white currants.

Advice from the internet is that you can use white currants as a substitute for red currants.  However, I wanted a recipe that would make the most of their pale, understated, opalescent beauty.    My feeling was that a pale, minimal cake, simply decorated with fresh white currants, was what was needed in visual terms.    To balance the creamy mascarpone icing, I made a sharp-sweet white currant compote to sandwich the layers of cake.

White Currant Cake

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White currant recipes

White Currant Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1 cake serving 10-12 1x
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This cake is a pale and understated beauty with creamy mascarpone icing, a tangy white currant compote filling, and minimal decoration of beautiful opalescent white currants.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cake:

  • 450 g butter (softened)
  • 450 g caster sugar
  • 8 eggs
  • 450 g self-raising flour
  • 7 tablespoons of milk
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence

For the white currant compote:

  • 300 g white currants
  • 180 g caster sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of water

For the filling and  topping

  • 500 g mascarpone
  • 200 ml double cream
  • 3 tablespoons of  icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 3 or four sprigs of white currants

Instructions

Method:  Cake

  1. Set your oven to 180 degrees centigrade or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Cream the butter with the sugar.  (I usually soften the butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave first as it makes it much easier!)
  3. Gradually add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture.  If it looks as if it is going to curdle, add some of the self-raising flour.
  4. Once the eggs have been incorporated add the rest of the self-raising flour.
  5. Add the milk and vanilla extract.
  6. Grease three 19 cm Victoria Sandwich tins and then add the cake mixture.
  7. Bake your cakes in the oven for around 30 minutes.  They are done when they are golden brown, springy to the touch and have shrunk away from the edge of the tin.  You can test this by inserting a skewer in the middle of the cake – if it comes out cleanly with no mixture attached, your cake is done.
  8. Allow your cakes to cool on a rack before removing them from the tins or containers.

Method:  White currant compote

  1. Wash the white currants and remove them from their stalks.
  2. Put the white currants, sugar and water into a saucepan. Gently heat to simmering point and then cook for one minute.
  3. Remove the currants from the sugar liquid and set aside.
  4. Bring the sugar liquid to boiling point and boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
  5. Return the currants to the sugar liquid and allow to cool.

Method:  Filling and topping

  1. Whip the mascarpone, cream and vanilla essence with the icing sugar until the mixture is combined and forms soft peaks.
  2. Spread a quarter of the mascarpone mixture on top of one of the cakes which will form the bottom tier.   Spread a half of the white currant compote on top of it.
  3. Place the second cake on top of the first one.   Spread a quarter of the mascarpone mixture on top of this cake which will form the middle tier.   Spread a half of the white currant compote on top of it.
  4. Place the third cake on top of the second one.   Use the remaining half of the mascarpone mixture to coat the top and sides of the assembled cake.
  5. Decorate with the sprigs of fresh white currants.
  6. In the (unlikely) event that there is any cake left over, this needs to be stored in the fridge due to the cream icing.  It will keep for a couple of days but, like all sponge cakes, it tastes better when it is freshly made.

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Tomato Soup

  • Cold Tomato Soup
  • Tomatoes
  • tomato soup

Tomato Soup

This Tomato Soup is perfect for a summer lunch or supper.   It is really easy to make and perfectly showcases the taste of those beautiful sun-ripened tomatoes that are currently in season.  My method of only thinning the soup down with water, stock or milk once it has been blended means that you have control of how thick it is and avoids you ending up with watery soup if the tomatoes that you use are particularly juicy.

This is a very versatile soup as it can be eaten either warm or chilled. This makes it perfectly adaptable to the vagaries of English weather. You make the soup and then decide whether you want something warming and comforting or refreshing and cooling.  

Tomatoes

What you need to know about my Tomato Soup
  • Cooking the chopped onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes slowly is really important. It caramelises the vegetables and gives the soup a real depth of flavour.
  • The quality of the tomatoes that you use will affect the flavour of the soup. Try and use good quality, flavourful tomatoes.  If you have home-grown tomatoes, so much the better. Otherwise, seek out tasty tomatoes in your local farmers market, farm shop or supermarket. You can use any kind of tomatoes for this recipe but choose those which have a good strong flavour.
  • A useful tip to skin the tomatoes is to put them in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, drain and cool with cold water. The skins should then be very easy to remove.
  • Potatoes are used to thicken this soup rather than flour. This adds an additional element of nutrition (potatoes contain a lot of nutrients) and makes the soup perfect for anyone who is gluten intolerant.
  • As the soup is thinned right at the end of the recipe, you can make it as thick or thin as you wish. You can also choose whether to use milk which will make richer soup rather than water or stock. A swirl of cream is also good if you are not focusing too hard on being healthy!
  • My recipe is vegetarian but it is easily converted into a vegan recipe. Just replace the butter with vegetable oil and using water or vegetable stock to thin the soup.
tomato soup
Other easy vegetarian soup recipes

I have lots of easy, vegetarian soup recipes. If you like this Tomato Soup, you might like some of the others. All my soups are vegetarian and all can be made vegan by substituting animal fats, such as butter, for vegetable fats. Some of them are pretty simple such as Fennel Soup, Jerusalem Artichoke Soup  or Sweetcorn Chowder and showcase a single vegetable. Others combine vegetables which have complimentary flavours such as Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup, Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato Soup, Celeriac and Apple Soup, Mushroom and Chestnut Soup, Pumpkin and Sweetcorn Soup or Leek and Potato Soup. A few have more unusual combinations of flavours such as Beetroot Soup with Coconut or Butternut and Peanut Butter Soup. Nettle Soup uses foraged ingredients. I also have a few chilled soup recipes, which are fantastic cold in the summer, but can also be served warm such as Asparagus and Pea.

Other tomato recipes

I love tomatoes. I use both fresh and tinned tomatoes in a lot of my recipes. My Tomato Tart is an easy vegetarian tart which uses fresh tomatoes. My easy Tomato Sauce recipe, which uses tinned tomatoes, is a really easy basic pasta sauce.

Tomato Soup recipe

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Cold Tomato Soup

Tomato Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This easy made-from-scratch Tomato Soup highlights the sweet taste of lovely seasonal tomatoes and can be eaten either warm or chilled.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 25 g  (1 oz) butter and a tablespoon of oil
  • 2 onions (peeled)
  • 2 carrots (peeled)
  • 3 sticks of celery
  • 1 bulb of fennel
  • 2 medium potatoes (peeled)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 14 tomatoes (approximately 1 kilo or 2 lbs)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Liquid to thin the soup (milk, vegetable stock, water as preferred)

Tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Roughly chop the onions, carrots, celery and fennel.
  2. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy pan or casserole.  Add the chopped vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.  Cook gently for approximately 15 minutes until they have softened.  This is the base for your soup and seasoning the vegetables and slow cooking to ensure they are soft and sweet  will greatly enhance its flavour.
  3. Roughly chop the potatoes and add them to the saucepan along with the crushed garlic cloves.  Cook gently for a further five minutes.
  4. Skin the tomatoes.  The easiest way to do this is to put them in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and leave for two minutes.   Then remove from the saucepan, run under cold water so that they are cool enough to handle.  The skins should be easy to remove.
  5. Chop the skinned tomatoes.  If you are using bigger tomatoes, when you slice them in half you may see green tougher bit of flesh where the stalk end of the tomato.  It is worth cutting this bit off to avoid any fibrous lumpy bits in your soup!
  6. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan with the rest of the vegetables.
  7. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on.   Do not add any extra liquid as the tomatoes will release their juice during cooking.
  8. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup mixture to cool.
  9. Liquidise the soup in a liquidiser or using a hand blender.   Once you have done this, you can thin your soup down by adding some extra liquid.   How much you need depends on how much juice came out of your tomatoes and how thick you like your soup.   You can use milk, vegetable stock or water or a combination of liquids depending on your preference.  I generally add a mixture of vegetable stock and milk.
  10. Reheat gently if serving the soup warm.  If you are planning to eat it chilled, allow it to cool to room temperature and then place in the fridge for at least an hour.

Cold Tomato Soup

Notes

This soup can be eaten either warm or chilled.

This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare with A Strong Coffee and #Fiesta Friday with Fiesta Friday,  Diann @ Of Goats and Greens and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.