People often tell me their family won't eat leftovers. My response is, “They will when they don't know they are leftovers."
What do you consider leftovers, and how do you serve them? I consider leftovers to be ingredients. The key to getting your family to approve of a second serving is to transform the leftovers into something new — into something so good that no one will think of them as leftovers. Then you might find you want to make “leftovers" on purpose!
Here is an example of using leftover salmon to make a fabulous pasta dish. You can also cook salmon to make this dish, but if you serve salmon one night and then use the rest to make a pasta dish, you get two dinners instead of one!
Leftover salmon with lemon and thyme — or any way you like to prepare salmon.
Pasta
Heavy whipping cream
Optional: Lemon, herbs, onion, or shallot
A simple, creamy salmon pasta comes together in minutes — just warm leftover salmon with some cream and toss it with pasta. For an extra layer of flavor, add additional ingredients like lemon, herbs, wine, shallots, or onion. Here are the steps when adding your extras.
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
Sauté the aromatics: In a large skillet, heat a bit of olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add diced shallot or onion and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add herbs like rosemary or thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Make the sauce: Stir in some dry white wine and cook for about 2 minutes, then add some heavy cream and fresh lemon juice and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
Combine with pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce.
Season and garnish: Taste and adjust with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or dill for beauty and a burst of flavor. You can also add some lemon zest.
Serve, and delight in your "leftovers."
Combine any of the above-mentioned ingredients to your liking, and you'll have a gourmet pasta dish in minutes!
If you have a small amount of leftover salmon, make a small amount of pasta and serve a few other simple dishes to create a satisfying family dinner.
