24 oz. center-cut fillets of salmon, about 1” thick
1/3lb.penne rigate
2Tbsp./1 oz. Dijon mustard
2Tbsp./1 oz. red wine vinegar
1Tbsp./½ oz. sugar
2Tbsp./½ oz. finely chopped shallots
1Tbsp.finely chopped dill
¼cup/2 oz. extra virgin olive oil
1cup/4 oz. halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. At the same time, bring a medium saucepan of salted water (about 1 quart) to the boil. Place the asparagus in the small pot of water and cook until crisp tender, about 1 – 2 minutes depending on thickness. Remove asparagus, but do not throw out the water. Rinse asparagus under cold water to stop the cooking. Reserve. Carefully place the salmon in the small saucepan. Water should barely cover the fillets. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and place in the refrigerator to cool.
Cook the penne in the large pot of water, according to package directions. Drain under cold water and reserve.
While the penne is cooking, make the mustard dill sauce. Place the mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, shallots and dill in a large bowl. Whisk the olive oil into the other ingredients. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Add the asparagus, cherry tomatoes and penne. Toss to coat. Remove salmon from the refrigerator. Use a fork, flake it into ½” pieces. Add it to the bowl stirring carefully. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.