Lemon Mackerel and Broccolini Spaghetti with pasta + hemp seed breadsticks and green salad

2 cans King Oscar Mackerel in olive oil and lemon, save 1 Tbsp the oil from the can for sauteing.

Juice from 2 lemons (about ¼ cup)

½ pound of thick bacon cut into ½ -1 inch pieces

8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter

1 large shallot chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

2 Tbsp heavy cream

2Tbsp dry white wine

1 pound whole wheat pasta

1 pound broccolini chopped into bite size pieces using the flower portion and some of the stem.

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop the bacon, shallot and mince the garlic. Set ingredients aside for when you're ready to use them. Add water to a medium stock pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling add enough salt to make the water taste like the sea. Add your pasta.

Cook for 7-8 minutes until there is still a little tooth feel. Before you drain the pasta, save about ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside.

While the spaghetti is boiling start the sauce.

Heat a medium sauce pan to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy then drain on a paper towel for later use. Drain most of the bacon grease until you have about 1 Tbsp. Add the mackerel oil to the bacon grease and then add the chopped shallots.

Cook for about 3-4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic.

Do not add the shallots and garlic together because the garlic may burn. Cook for about a minute. Add the lemon juice and wine. Add in your broccolini and the reserved pasta water and cook for another 3 minutes until broccolini is bright green.

Pour in the whipping cream and add the crisp bacon and mackerel.

Immediately add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss carefully in the sauce so you can have nice chunks of the mackerel. Plate with the salad and a couple of the breadsticks.

Pasta and Hemp Seed Breadsticks can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.

2 oz whole wheat pasta ground (I used my Vitamix blender)

2 Tbsp Hemp seeds

½ cup all purpose flour

2- 1/2 T fresh herbs, parsley, cilantro and dill minced, you can use whatever herbs you like. The minced herbs should total 2- 1/2 Tablespoons (not 2-1/2 T of each)

2 c all-purpose flour + more for rolling out the dough

1-1/2 t sea salt + more for sprinkling on top

1 t white sugar

3 T cold unsalted butter

1 c heavy whipping cream

1 egg whites

Blend the pasta in a Vitamix or other powerful blender to make a powder. Transfer the blended pasta to a food processor then add your fresh herbs, flour, salt and sugar and combine using 2 or 3 quick pulses. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Pulse 8-10 times in your food processor until it looks like cornmeal. Slowly pour in cream in a steady stream while pulsing until a dough forms.On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 4-5 times then divide into 4 pieces. Shape into 4 rectangles approximately 3″w x 4.5″l x .25-.5″ thick. These measurements are just a rough guide-no need to be exact! Wrap each rectangle in plastic wrap individually, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Tear off a sheet of parchment paper just smaller than the size of the bottom of your baking sheet. The sheet should be large enough to cover the bottom of the pan, but not so large that it curls up the sides of the baking sheet rim. Set the baking sheet aside. Remove one of the chilled dough rectangles from the refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap and place on a floured surface. Cut another 6-8 pieces and roll into about an 8" snake. Fold snake in half and twist to make a breadstick. These can be varying sizes, whatever pleases you.

Move breadsticks to the parchment paper covered baking sheet.Crack egg white into a bowl and discard the yolk (or save for later). Use a fork to lightly beat the egg white then brush the dough with a fine layer of egg white and sprinkle with hemp seeds and sea salt (if desired).

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, but check on them at 15 minutes. You'll know they're done when they're golden brown and have puffed up slightly. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Repeat steps for the rest of the dough or freeze the extra dough for another time.

Green Salad Ingredients

Broccolini greens

1 bag Spring Mix lettuce (or your choice of lettuce)

2 radishes julienned

¼ cup roasted pepitas

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp oil from the mackerel

1 lemon wedge

Salt/pepper to taste

Put lettuce, broccolini greens, radishes and pepitas in a bowl. Whisk the olive oil and mackerel oil together, then toss with the lettuce mixture. Plate the salad with a lemon wedge next to it.

Squeeze as much lemon as you like on the salad. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Kim Bradley

Recipes are unedited