Carrot Green Pasta with Salmon and Stuffed Tomatoes

Okay...there's a lot involved in the preparation of this meal (well more than most of my recipes) so I suggest dedicating a good hour or two. The meal itself is actually quite simple, highlighting the natural flavor of some great, fresh ingredients. But because there are two different things to bake at different temperatures AND a pasta to make, it requires some serious shuffling. If you happen to have a double oven, then good for you, this meal is no longer that involved. I definitely overcooked my salmon and the pasta came out kind of dry (sad face), but I adjusted the time for the recipe so it should be good now. Next time I'll probably just make either the stuffed tomatoes OR the pasta so one does not get sacrificed. Or just hope for the double oven some day :)


Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe:

• 3 large vine tomatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 tbsp chiffonade basil
• 2 tbsp grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Baked Salmon Recipe:

• 2 salmon fillets
• salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 lemon

Carrot Green Pasta Recipe: 

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large carrots with greens  (remove tops, set aside and dice carrots)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1/2 lemon
• green onions, olives, extra olive oil to taste

To begin the stuffed tomatoes, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper and cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and garlic begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Cut the tops off the tomatoes (about 1-inch thick) and core the inside, reserving the flesh and juices in a bowl. Set tomatoes hollow-side down on a plate to drain excess liquid. Place in fridge.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. To prepare the salmon, wash, pat dry and place in a small baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, freshly grated pepper, cayenne pepper and Italian seasoning. Squeeze the lemon over the top and then slice the lemon into strips and place on top of the fillets. Cover with foil and place in oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly flaked.

While the salmon is cooking, prepare the vegetables for the pasta. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, garlic, allspice, fennel, salt and pepper. Cook on medium low until the carrots get tender, about 15 minutes.

While the carrots are cooking, bring water to a boil for the pasta. When ready, add the pasta and cook according to package. While the pasta cooks, toss the carrot greens into the pan with the carrots to cook a little. You may need to add more olive oil to keep from browning.

By now, the salmon is probably finished so take it out of the oven but keep the foil on. The salmon will stay hot. Turn the oven to broil and place the 3 tomatoes (without tops) hollow-side up in a small baking dish and place in the oven for 1-2 minutes, just enough to wrinkle the outside skin.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, mushrooms mixture, basil, cheese and enough of the reserved tomato flesh+liquid to soften the stuffing a bit. Take the tomatoes out of the oven, fill with mixture, top with freshly grated cheese and place the tops on. Put back in the oven for about 3 minutes. Remove from oven.

Combine the cooked pasta with the carrots and greens. Add the liquid from the salmon, 1/2 lemon juice and sliced salmon. Garnish with green onions, olives and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a stuffed tomato.

Phew! Wipe the sweat off your brow and enjoy the simple, yet delicious flavors of this meal.