Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

I'm exhausted, but very proudly exhausted. Oh and I've got very puffy red eyes from crying and carrying on. It's a good thing the big guy wasn't home last night or I'd never the hear end of it, although he did call around 7 and I had to find a way around the huge lump in my throat so I could talk to him. I watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics last night - all 5 plus hours and I'm so flippin' proud to be Canadian I could bust.

Our pride in our country is not something that we Canadian's talk about a lot. It's kind of like religion - you don't need to let your neighbors and the rest of the world know you're a Christian and believe in God. You LIVE it....or try to. Everyday. Quietly. Oh, and don't get me going on politics. As a newcomer to the United States in 2000, the country was just gearing up for an election and I couldn't believe that a perfect stranger would have the nerve to ask another soul who they were voting for...and that people would actually get into arguments over the answer never mind that it would make a difference in their relationships. I mean what party you vote for is personal to a Canadian and nobody's business unless you choose to make it that way. It's just another one of those things you keep to yourself. Quietly. I mean, isn't that why you go into a cubical to vote - in PRIVATE? Enough already though - this is a food blog after all, so we'd best get to it. vive la différence Right?

Put your hands together and clap people. I actually did cook last night - although it was so darn easy to put this pasta salad together, it kind of wasn't cooking. Download Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

 

Pasta, in this case radiatore, snuggles up in a bowl along with blanched asparagus, a touch of red onion, and some wonderful wild sockeye Nova Scotia smoked salmon I found at Trader Joe's. Dressed with a creamy coating of mayo, Dijon mustard, sour cream and tarragon, it's got some crunch thanks to the poppy seeds and some tang courtesy of lemon. The flavor speaks softly of salmon and is wonderful with the tarragon but if you're not a fan, just substitute dill. As you'll see in the index, there's several pasta salad's on this site but this is a PASTA SALAD if you get my drift. The big guy'd hate it thanks to the smoked salmon, but honestly I think you could replace that with smoked turkey or even duck if you're not into salmon. Oh, as for the poppy seeds, the big guy won't touch 'em either because it's a fact that eating poppy seeds can cause a positive result on a drug screening test, and as a former regulator he's not about to do anything that could be perceived as "illegal"; therefore you'll never see a poppy seed bagel in this house (unless the master isn't home). LOL

Comments

[Lea]

I think this is something everyone in this house would actually eat!!! Especially the fish prepared by my cousins up North! Nice use of those lemons!!!!!! And way to get in those big guy banned foods in! Hey - if you go to tastespotting and put in Meyer Lemons in the search you will get about 135 recipies to choose from - craziness! Pretty photo!

[Mags]

I'm adding this pasta salad to my Lent-no-meat Fridays recipe list.

I had to laugh about the poppy seed/drug test thingie because I made lemon poppy seed muffins last year and was going to send them to work with hubby but then worried about the whole drug testing ordeal.

[June]

Lea - I'll have to check out Tastespotting for inspiration. Thanks for the tip!

Mags - until the big guy informed me, I had no idea that little iddy biddy poppy seeds could do that.

[Sarah G]

Yes, I was a blubbering mess last night, too, and blogged about it, too. I guess we just have to share. Love this pasta. I always avoid poppy seeds because they stick in my teeth but I should 'live a little' and try them.

[June]

Sarah - It was beautiful wasn't it? I read on your blog that we'd been in the same boat. I'm still unable to leave a comment on your site, but I was there! I'm not sure the poppyseeds are totally necessary in this salad as the crunch they provide could be accomplished with nuts, or even toasted sesame seeds.