Celebrity Salmon on Farfalle with Black Olive Pesto

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 bunch fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Ground black pepper
• 5 (5-ounce) fresh salmon fillets

Black Olive Pesto:

• 1 tablespoon roasted garlic
• 1/2 ounce pine nuts, toasted
• 10 ounces pitted black Kalamata olives (blanch briefly in boiling water and drain)
• 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 ounces mascarpone
• 3 ounces grated Parmesan
• 1 1/4 pounds farfalle (bowtie pasta)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Garnish:

• 1 dozen cherry tomatoes
• Olive oil, for sauteing
• 2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 bunch chives, chopped
• 1/4 bunch whole chive sprigs

Directions

For the marinade: Combine the sambal oeleck, soy sauce, honey, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. Marinate salmon fillets for at least 1 hour or up to 5 hours, refrigerated.

In a food processor, combine the roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts, blanched black olives, olive oil, heavy cream, mascarpone, and Parmesan and process until a smooth paste is obtained. Pesto can be prepared while salmon is marinating.

Cook the pasta al dente in lightly salted water and olive oil. Remove pasta from water, drain.

Cook the marinated salmon on the grill with crisscross markings until caramelized.

While fish is grilling, cut cherry tomatoes in halves and saute in olive oil with sun-dried tomatoes and chives. Toss pasta with the pesto and warm slightly if desired. Do not boil. For each portion, serve 1 piece of salmon over pasta with pesto, and garnish with tomato chive saute on top.