Smoked Salmon and Pasta in Mushroom Sauce

Last Christmas, one of the gifts we received was a big box of smoked salmon. I have never cooked smoked salmon before, so I started reading recipes using smoked salmon in pasta in the Web. I found hundreds of recipes of pasta and smoked salmon in various sauces.

I was looking for a recipe that is easy and simple. The following recipe is my own creation inspired by the availability and abundance of fresh mushrooms in our local grocery store and the can of cream of mushroom soup and spaghetti pasta that I found in our pantry. Other kinds of pasta may be used. Garnishing with chopped green onions or parsley is optional.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup (160ml) dry white wine or vermouth
1/4 cup jicama (Mexican turnips or sincamas) finely chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup diluted in 1 cup of water
4 big fresh white mushrooms chopped to about 1/4 inch
8-10oz (250-300g) smoked salmon, cut in 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces
garlic salt, to taste
1/4 lb. spaghetti( or other pasta such as linguine, farfalle etc)
parsley or green onions for garnishing (optional)

Procedure

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until golden and starting to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté just until it loses its raw edge, about one minute more. Then add the chopped jicama. Saute until cooked (5 minutes). Add the chopped fresh mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes. Then add the can of cream of mushrooms soup diluted with 1 cup of hot water. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the smoked salmon. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 more minutes, until the sauce is quite thick. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water until just al dente. Drain the spaghetti and let it cool. Pour the sauce into the spaghetti and served immediately.
Garnished, if you like, with parsley or chopped green onions. Delicious and savory!