Pan-fried Salmon and Angel Hair with Clam Sauce

Have you been stuck sleeping on the couch because you didn’t remember your girlfriend’s dog’s birthday? You forgetful son of a bitch. Well here’s your ticket back in to the sack; a delectable seafood meal that doesn’t take nearly as much effort as explaining to her how unimportant her dog’s birthday is to you.

This was my first attempt at cooking seafood that wasn’t breaded and frozen, and for better or for worse, it was with my roommate, Andy the Mandy.

What you need:

• Salmon filet (1/3 to 1/2 lb per person)
• Angel hair spaghetti
• Olive oil
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 cup of clam juice
• 1 6.5 oz can of clams
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt

Andy the Mandy's clam sauce cooking.

Andy the Mandy’s Clam Sauce: Finely chop up half an onion and your 8 cloves of garlic. Begin to heat up 1/3 cup of olive oil in a medium size pot. Add the garlic and onions in and let them cook on medium heat until they begin to look clear and smell really good. Next add the clams, clam juice, and a couple shakes of red pepper and salt and turn the heat up to high. Let it come to a boil and then turn it down to low and let it simmer with a cover until you’re ready to add it to the pasta.

Angel Hair: Just follow the instructions on the back of the box because they’re better than anything you’re gonna find here, but add a smidgeon of salt and olive oil to the water before it starts to boil. Once the water begins to boil, you should start preparing the pan for the salmon.

Salmon frying in olive oil

Salmon: Take a paper towel and dry both sides of the salmon before you do a damn thing. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium in a non-stick pan. Once the oil is heated, put the salmon on the pan with the skin facing up. Cook on medium for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side for 5 minutes. It should look a nice golden brown on each side (refer to the picture). The inside should look, well, salmon colored.

Pan fried salmon and angel hair with clam sauce.

Once your salmon is done, pour the clam sauce in to the pasta and mix it up. Serve the pasta with grated cheese and enjoy. If you have any leftovers, give it to the dog. It’s the least you can do for that poor bastard whose birthday you forgot…