Linguine with Smoked Salmon

Good evening,

It's been a wee while since I blogged a recipe so here goes!  This recipe was chosen by my daughter for tea tonight.  She's getting to the stage that she enjoys helping with the cooking (although maybe not the tidying and washing up so much!) and I'm not so nervous about letting her loose with sharp knives and hot pans!  The recipe is adapted from my Prima Quick & Easy Cook Book and I'm ashamed to say I've never made a recipe out of it before this one but I'm sure now we've got into it there will be more!

As the recipe uses low-fat soft cheese there's not much in the way of 'syns' so it's suitable if you're following the Slimming World plan and comes in at around 3.5 syns per portion (for the soft cheese and wine).

Linguine with Smoked Salmon

Serves 4

Ingredients:
125g/4oz low-fat soft cheese (I used Tesco)
175g/6oz smoked salmon trimmings
4 tbsp dry white wine
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
350g/12oz mixed mangetout and broccoli (cut into tiny florets)
300g/10oz dried linguine
sprigs of fresh dill to garnish

Method:
Boil the pasta in salted water according to packet instructions.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, put the soft cheese, 50g/2oz smoked salmon, wine amd lemon juice into a blender and process until smooth.

Transfer the blended salmon mixture into a small saucepan and heat through very gently, do not allow to boil.  Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.  Stir in the chopped dill and remaining salmon.

Cook the mangetout and broccoli in a pan of salted water for 5 minutes until just cooked.  Drain and add to the pasta.  Combine the salmon sauce with the pasta and vegetables, carefully folding together.  Serve immediately and garnish with sprigs of fresh dill.

Fish Pie

Hi there

It's a little late but I'm here with the recipe for the fish pie I made this evening.  I'm loving the idea of comfort food right now - it must be the weather!  This recipe is one I made up myself to fit the Slimming World 'food optimising' plan.  A word of warning though make sure the dish you use is big enough.  Mine spilled over the top, thank goodness I put a baking sheet underneath it!

Fish Pie

Serves 4

2.5 Syns & a Healthy Extra A per Portion

Ingredients:

1 x pack fish pie mix containing salmon, smoked and white fish (I used Tesco)

200g raw king prawns (without shells)

150g frozen spinach

2 x pack Schwartz white sauce mix

600ml 1% fat milk

80g reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated

Large pinch of saffron

1.3 kg potatoes (suitable for mashing), peeled and cut into chunks

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Place the fish and prawns on a microwavable plate and cover with cling film.  Cut a couple of small vents into the cling film then microwave on full power for 3-4 mins until fish and prawns are just cooked.  Set aside.  

Meanwhile boil the spinach in lightly salted water for 5-6 mins then drain thoroughly, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.  In another pan make up the white sauce with the milk and cook according to the packet instructions.  Off the heat add the saffron and all but a small handful of the cheese as well as seasoning.  Place the fish, prawns and spinach in a large ovenproof dish then pour over the sauce.  

Meanwile boil the potatoes in salted water until tender then drain and mash really well ( I didn't add any butter or milk to them).  Place on top of the fish mixture then rough up with a fork so it will go crispy in the oven.  Sprinkle over the remaining cheese then bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and everything is cooked through.

Serve with as much veggies as you like.

I'm off to bed now as I am back to work in the morning :(

Take care,

Shona xx

Salmon & Dill Traybake

Good Evening,

I'm back tonight with a rare second post and my recipe is a quick and delicious one I made for tea tonight.  The recipe is from Slimming World Magazine and I wouldn't hesitate to make it again!

Salmon & Dill Traybake

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
500g King Edward or other floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
Low-calorie Cooking Spray
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
2 red onions, thinly sliced
4 skinless and boneless salmon fillets
300g sugar snap peas
200g cherry tomatoes
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
A large handful of fresh dill, chopped

Preheat oven to 190C/170C (fan)/Gas 5.  Put the potatoes in a large roasting tin, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and season well.  Roast for 15 minutes then scatter over the onions and roast for a further 12-15 minutes.  Turn up the oven to 220C/200C (fan)/Gas 7.  Nestle the salmon, sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes between the veg.  Drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with the zest and dill and season with plenty black pepper.  Roast for around 15 minutes or until the salmon is golden, and everything is cooked through, before serving.

If you are following the Slimming Word Program it says Syns per serving: Extra Easy Free.

I'm not following the plan so I substituted a tablespoon of olive oil for the cooking oil spray and just used 3 salmon fillets but obviously if you did that it would probably alter the number of Syns.