The ice is out of Joe’s Pond! That means spring is really here in Vermont.
There are signs of spring everywhere! Flowers are starting to bloom, the birds have all returned, including the Lake Champlain seagulls that spend a week or so feasting on bugs in the hayfields after snow melt.
Now we can declare spring
At 4:02 a.m. yesterday, the ice went out at Joe’s Pond in West Danville, Vt. This ritual signals the true beginning of spring for many. Not terribly high tech, a clock is set on a cinder block on a pallet 100 feet out on the ice. When the block falls through the ice, the clock is disconnected and the exact time recorded.
Low tech contest
There is a contest every year and tickets are sold with folks from all over the world paying for a chance to guess at the time of the ice fall. The money is divided equally between the winner and a conservation group. For details: Ice Out at Joe’s Pond.
First green crop!
To celebrate spring, I turned to my only crop of the year thus far – chives! I have them in abundance from last week’s rain, so using them in my spring celebration dish was a must.
The cooking creativity begins
A couple of weeks ago, my teenage granddaughter Jaina created a delicious homemade durum wheat semolina pasta dish featuring smoked salmon and brocollini. We hadn’t made pasta together in quite some time, so it was lots of fun, and it turned out delicious. I loved her experimentation and creativity, and her pasta was some of the best we’ve had.
Make it yours, even if your granddaughter created it
I decided to recreate her dish and write it down. There was no broccolini around, so I swapped out arugula. You could add any green here that you like or can find. Of course, I added my own spin when my large clump of chives begged to be used. Wouldn’t it be fun to put the chives right in the pasta dough? It was delicious, with a subtle chive flavor and pretty green specks.
Quick, or fun? What’s your choice today?
You can make homemade pasta dough in the food processor in a couple of minutes, but while it is quick, it certainly isn’t fun. I prefer to make it by hand, putting the flour on the counter, making a well, and adding the eggs and liquids, volcano style, then kneading it. However you make it, the results will be worth the effort.
You can make this your own in many ways
If you make this with broccolini, or even broccoli, toss it in to cook through before you add the salmon to warm. You can also substitute spinach, chard, kale, or other favorite green. For the salmon, look for a wild variety, cut into thick chunks rather than the thinly sliced. The thin slices will turn an unattractive shade of grey in the pan when warmed, and we do take that first bite with our eyes! Of course, you can substitute any smoked fish you like, and make it vegetarian with smoked tofu! It’s all good.
The flour is the star
While you can use all-purpose or whole wheat flour to make pretty good pasta, our favorite dried pastas are always the Italian imports and they use durum wheat semolina, so that’s what we’ve been using. It has a lovely flavor and really nice texture.
Chive Semolina Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Arugula
The pasta dough:
- 1 ½ cups (240 g.) durum wheat semolina flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 fresh local or organic eggs
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) fruity olive oil
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) water
- 2 tbsp. minced chives
Combine the flour and salt on a mound on your table. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, olive oil, water. Using a fork, mix the liquids together and start scraping flour from the sides of the well. When most of it is incorporated in a dry, shaggy mess, switch to your hands and bring the dough together. Start kneading and add the chives. Continue kneading for a total of about 10 minutes. The dough will be smooth, and difficult to continue kneading. Form into a ball, cover with plastic or a bowl, and let sit at room temperature for a half hour. This is essential if you want to roll it out.
To make the pasta, roll out with a rolling pin, lightly flouring the surface and top. Fold it over on itself, again lightly floured, and cut into desired strips. Or, flatten and cut into smaller pieces and run through your pasta maker, keeping it lightly floured as well. With both methods, place your finished pasta on a cookie sheet with more flour added to keep it separated, fluffing it up so it doesn’t stick.
To cook, bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil, shake off any excess flour, and add the pasta. Cook for around three or four minutes.
The pasta dish:
- The pasta from above
- 2 ounces (60 ml) fruity olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 small Serrano pepper, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 ounces (170 g.) smoked salmon
- Large bunch of arugula, about 14.5 ounces or 125 g. OR, one bunch of broccolini, chopped
- Chopped hazelnuts, or other nuts, and more chives to garnish
Over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and add the onion. Sauté for a few minutes, them add the garlic and pepper, keeping everything moving. (If using broccolini or broccoli here, add it now). Drop the fresh pasta in boiling salted water at this point, it only takes three minutes to cook.
Once the onions have softened and just start to brown, add the white wine and let reduce a bit, then toss in the salmon.
Add the pasta directly to the pan along with about a half cup of the boiling liquid, taste for salt and pepper, mix it up carefully, then add the arugula, mixing it up and seasoning lightly again. Cover and remove from the heat so the arugula wilts.
Turn out to a platter or large bowl and garnish with nuts and more chives. Put on some cheerful music and feast.
Vegetarian alternative: Substitute a favorite smoked tofu for the fish. It is quite a delightful alternative. If you are entertaining both vegetarians and fish eaters, prepare everything to the point of adding the protein and divide into two pans, one for the fish and another for the tofu. Everyone’s happy.
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Very healthy dish. I like this, Dorothy.
Thanks Mary! It was really delicious, and fun to make, although more fun when I made it with my granddaughter.
Beautiful!
Thank you my friend!
Jaina is definitely an up and coming food blogger. I have a bunch of chives “begging” to be used and now I have a recipe. Thanks, Dot.
She’s great, and she is studying journalism and writing! Now where could she have gotten those genes????
Looks like fun times spending time with the grandkids! Very creative recipe!
Many thanks Jan! It is always fun cooking with the kids, especially now that they are getting older.
Mmm, lovely dish and all the more special for being your granddaughter’s dish (so wonderful to see a family tradition of cooking) and using the very first greens of the season ~ hooray for chives! Hoping spring will really take off with you now the ice is gone from Joe’s Pond! 😊
Me too Lis! It is starting now, and the grass is greening up, daffodils are blooming, and the birds wake me up every morning in the nicest of ways. This is my favorite time of year, everything ahead is possibility and there are no bugs or weeds, well, not too many.
Great cooking is definitely passed in the genes!
Kudos to your both, for such a great dish.
Happy Spring! 🙂
Happy Spring to you too Ronit! Asparagus soon!
What fun with ice out. 🙂 Applause to both generations for making fresh pasta. That would be quite a treat.
It was lots of fun all around! Thanks Judy!
Oh yum, I will be over for dinner!
Hurry! It’s going fast!
Wonderful that you’ve passed your chef’s talent on to your Grandchildren, Dorothy. What fun you must all enjoy! Love the images… 🙂
I have a block of tofu resting. I did have a recipe for this evening’s meal. However; there now may be changes afoot.
I think you’ll enjoy it my friend!
The dish looks so colourful and delish! I love salmon in pasta
Fresh or smoked, it’s all good, isn’t it?
A homemade durum wheat semolina pasta dish that could easily be adapted. It is fantastic that the grandkids are enthusiastic about cooking.
From the time they were toddlers! Sometimes a big mess, but always fun!
It must be in their genes!
I think that is a definite possibility! And some kids in the same family don’t get the gene apparently, raised in the same household with the same parents. Worth pondering Amanda!
What a lovely way to have quality time with grandkids! Looks great 😍
Thanks Doc! We always have fun in the kitchen with the kids.
It’s great to see the kids getting involved! Somehow the food they cook always tastes better to them! 😊
Even the carrots!
Yay! Spring is officially there ☺️ and what a lovely dish to celebrate it 🌷I love a good homemade pasta! What a great combination of flavors 😋
Not sure why but I can’t leave the comment from the reader 😓
Thank you kindly!
I’ve been having some WP problems lately too! And I’ve fished many a friend out of SPAM as well.
I loved reading about the Ice Out at Joe’s Pond! I’m glad spring has arrived in Vermont! Your dish is a celebration of spring, and I know you are so happy that your granddaughter is taking after you and is creative in the kitchen! I’m sure the homemade pasta is wonderful~
Jenna
Thank you Jenna! We had a blast in the kitchen, and spring is really here. 50s today, bright blue sky and lots of sunshine!
The brick on the ice!!! I have never heard of such a thing but I love it!! Bravo to the brave soul who placed it there!
They do it every year, and raise a lot of money for the conservation organization. One of those quirky little Vermont rituals that keep us sane in mud season!
I really couldn’t love this post more! Spring, pasta, sauce, salmon! What’s not to like? Except, I’m not sure I’m capable of making my own pasta? Seems like an enormous amount of work just to eat. I like the pasta making party with the grandkids. That I could do. A little butter and herbs might be enough. I’m am always amazed at how ambitious you are in the kitchen. It must be such a creative space for you. And thank goodness, because you’ve given me so many fabulous recipes. Hugs, C
Ah, thanks so much! You will have to come visit and we’ll make pasta together and we’ll have a blast and the kids will come give us a hand!
I’m so impressed that your grandkids enjoy making pasta at home! Love love love your twist of adding fresh chives to the pasta dough. I’m feeling inspired!
Methinks there might be homemade pasta on the menu at your house this weekend…
Yum! We also have an “ice out” contest. It was over super early this year. Yeah spring!
It’s something to pass the time waiting for the mud to dry up!
Nothing better than watching grandkids involved with cooking. I have many happy memories of cooking/baking with my mom.
They are the best memories! And they learn that cooking is fun and not magic that someone else conjures in the kitchen when no one’s looking.
I like this recipe. I usually serve smoked salmon as an appetizer on crackers so I don’t think to add smoked salmon to pasta dishes yet I know we’d love it. Thanks for the idea.
Thanks Ally! We really like this one, even the kid who doesn’t like smoked salmon. I guess pasta trumps a lot.
What a fabulous recipe! Your grandkids are so lucky to have such a wonderful Grandma!
Ah thanks! I have great faith in the next generation!
Perfect appeal, flavoring and seasonings. As always, I am inspired!
Thank you so much! It was really good.