Favorite Pasta Salad: Baked Salmon, Asparagus w/ Lemon Dill Vinaigrette

This is my new favorite pasta salad.

It is so easy to put together and is such a crowd pleaser.
This tastes best during asparagus season, using fresh local spears.

I used Alaskan baked salmon, which is a prepared food, all natural and lightly smoked.
It is vacuum packaged and you can find it at most good appetizing stores.
It is also known as hot smoked salmon.

FYI: Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Costco, Duck Trap River Farms, Pike's Fish Market in Seattle, Russ & Daughters in NYC, and many other specialty food stores sell this type of smoked cooked fish.

You could also use regular Scottish salmon that has been grilled or baked in the oven, or smoked salmon (a.k.a. "lox") if you like, but it's the baked hot smoked salmon that makes this dish what it is.

Just so we are on the same page.

and while I am being bossy, it's called a vinaigrette (French: pronounced vee/neh/greht and say it like you are gagging), not Vinegar-ETT!

I know you love me.

You can make this in the morning and bring it to room temperature before serving.

I love this, it's my new favorite.

Pasta w/ Baked Salmon & Asparagus w/ a Lemon Dill Vinaigrette: (adapted from Cooking Light)

half a box (8 oz.) of fusilli (corkscrew) pasta or orzo
1 lb. of asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1 lb. piece of Alaskan baked salmon (lightly smoked)
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

Vinaigrette:
juice of a lemon
3 tbsp good olive oil (I use my special stash from Abruzzo)
1 tbsp fresh chopped dill
pinch of sea salt & black pepper
1/3 cup of feta cheese

Whisk the vinaigrette and set aside.

Boil the pasta in salted water and cook per package directions.

So I don't have to wash another pot, I drop the asparagus spears into the pasta water and boil for 3 minutes........I remove them to an ice bath immediately with tongs, and let the pasta cook for the remaining time. The ice bath will set the green color and stop the cooking process.

Slice the asparagus spears on the diagonal into pieces and add to a large bowl.

Flake the baked salmon into pieces and add to the bowl along w/ the red onion slices.

Drain the pasta and rinse to remove the starch.

Add the pasta to the bowl w/ the rest of the ingredients and pour the lemon dill dressing over everything and toss.

Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Enjoy!