With just a few ingredients and a self-imposed, imaginary “Chopped”-style challenge in my mountain cabin kitchen, my solo trip to Little House in the Rockies turned into a delicious experiment in creative cooking. I outlined it here: Limited Provisions at Little House in the Rockies Spells New Recipes. Basically, I planned to eat all my meals at the cabin and to augment the few purchased goods shown below with items from the pantry, fridge and freezer, creating new recipes to share with you here—and make again and again with my family.
Enjoying the Challenge of Limited Ingredients
I really enjoyed the creativity of having only a few ingredients to work with during my solo trip. You can see in the photo that the proteins are limited to smoked salmon, eggs and soft cheese. On the 3rd night, I decided to use some fettuccine I found in the pantry as the basis for my dinner. I knew that the last of the smoked salmon would make a lovely addition to a pasta dish and started thinking about what I could do with the other ingredients I had on hand.
I thought of the simple but satisfying cacio e pepe (translated to cheese and pepper), but I didn’t have any hard cheese like Pecorino Romano or Parmesan.
I had one egg left, so pasta carbonara was an option, but again, no hard cheese. Also, I am pretty spoiled by the carbonara at Da Corradi in London. You’ve heard about that here before.
I didn’t have the classic ingredients for an alfredo sauce, either, but what I DID have was the last of the Alouette Smoky Jalapeno Soft Spreadable Cheese, only about a third of a cup, but enough to bring the creaminess you want with pasta.
A Plan Comes Together
Hmmmmm… I could make a light sauce with the egg, the Alouette cheese and some pasta water, just enough to barely coat the fettuccine. And I could go all in on the jalapeno flavor since I had a fresh one. There was a bag of fire-roasted corn in the freezer, which would add a nice texture, and tomatoes, garlic and red onion would bring depth and complexity to the richness of the sauce and the subtle, salty-smoky taste of the salmon. Red pepper flakes would round out the heat, and since I didn’t have any fresh herbs, dried parsley would suffice. Game on!!!
The Recipe: Smoked Salmon and Jalapeño Fettuccine
Cooking time: ~30 minutes
Serves 2 (multiply the recipe if you want to feed more hungry folks)
Ingredients
- 4 oz. dried or fresh fettuccine
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1½ tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. minced jalapeño
- 1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced (about 1 tbsp.)
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- 6 grape tomatoes, diced (about ¼ cup)
- ⅓ cup frozen or fresh corn kernels (I used frozen roasted corn)
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 2 oz. cold-smoked salmon, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup whipped cheese, like Alouette or Boursin (I used Alouette Smoky Jalapeno)
- 1 egg
- ¼ to ½ cup reserved pasta water
- Salt and pepper to taste (at the table)
- Optional garnishes: additional red pepper, fresh parsley, minced fresh jalapeño, minced red onion, grated Parmeson or Romano
Cooking Instructions
Gather the ingredients and set a medium pot of water on the stove on high with 1 tsp. of salt. When it comes to a boil, add the 4 oz. of fettuccine and cook according to the instructions on the package.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a medium saute pan or skillet to medium high with the 1½ tbsp. olive oil. Add the 2 tbsp. minced jalapeño, 1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced (about 1 tbsp.), ⅓ cup diced red onion, 6 grape tomatoes, diced (about ¼ cup), ⅓ cup frozen or fresh corn kernels and saute until they are soft, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat if they are finished before the pasta.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then add the ⅓ cup whipped cheese and keep beating until there are only a few lumps. Set aside.
When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain. Add it to the pan with the sauteed vegetables and toss to mix. Put it back on medium heat, then add the ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. dried parsley and the 2 oz. cold-smoked salmon and toss to mix again. Add the egg and cheese mixture and only ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, stir again, and then heat on medium for 2-3 minutes until the pasta is hot enough to serve and the sauce has thickened a little. Add more pasta water if your pasta isn’t ‘saucy’ enough, but just a little at a time.
Join Me in the Kitchen at Little House in the Rockies
I didn’t photograph the next step, which was adding the mixture of whipped cheese and egg, and then a little pasta water, then stirring to thicken. After that, it was done!
A Winner, On Both Days
My friends, this dish was delicious! Here’s a closeup:
It was just saucy enough, similar to a cacio e pepe or a carbonara that isn’t swimming in cream and butter, and the jalapeños, paired with the vibrant veggies, brought a surprisingly refined heat and depth that danced perfectly with the smoky, salty salmon.. The corn added an unusual pop and I wouldn’t make it without that touch. I was also really happy with the jalapeño-flavored soft cheese, as it underscored the overall spiciness of the dish without overpowering it.
My last night was Leftover Night, and I was delighted to have a second serving of the Smoked Salmon and Jalapeño Fettuccine. This time, I garnished it with minced jalapeño and red onion and served it with a simple, but colorful salad, dining outside in the glorious Colorado evening and feeling spoiled.
And here’s a closeup:
Notes
- If you’re pairing this with wine, a sparkling rosé is a fabulous match for the creamy, spicy pasta—its crisp bubbles and soft berry flavors play beautifully with the smoked salmon and balance the heat. I know this because that was my choice for Day 2 of this fab dish! A dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc would also shine.
- If you have leftover pasta, be sure to keep some of the remaining pasta water. It will come in handy when you reheat this delicious dish, as pasta tends to absorb its sauce and become a little dry. I saved my pasta water and it gave the reheated pasta just the right texture the next night (and made me feel like the Duchess of Leftovers that I am). 😁
- I liked the fresh sprinkle of minced jalapeños and red onion the second night, and will absolutely use fresh parsley as a finishing touch going forward. Fresh garnishes provide another subtle-but-special taste and texture element in a dish like this.
- The salad was simple, but was an excellent complement to the pasta. It was arugula, halved grape tomatoes, halved cucumber slices, and sliced red onions, drizzled with a tiny bit of extra-virgin olive oil and serrano-honey flavored balsamic vinegar. Of course, I was also quite liberal with the pepper grinder (after the photo shoot). I will serve this salad alongside the pasta the next time I make it and I know I’ll get a big thumbs-up from The Grill-Meister.
- If this recipe sounds great to you but you’re not into spicy, no problem!!! You can make an incredible dish with rich and satisfying flavors without the heat with just a few substitutions:
- Bell pepper instead of the jalapeño
- Another flavor of spreadable cheese instead of jalapeño—Alouette flavors that would work great are Garlic and Herb, Garden Vegetable, and Spinach and Artichoke
- With Garlic and Herb, you could increase the minced garlic to two cloves, add some torn fresh basil and 2-3 green onions, cut diagonally in ¼-inch slices, whites and green ends both; the corn would be optional
- With Garden Vegetable, you could add ⅓ cup peas and should definitely keep the corn
- With Spinach and Artichoke, you could add 2-3 artichoke hearts, chopped, and/or a handful of fresh spinach; the corn would be optional
- Dried basil or thyme instead of red pepper flakes, and a pinch or two of white pepper
Outtakes
I was so happy with this dish, especially on the 2nd night with the colorful salad and the opportunity to eat outside, that I have to share a couple more pictures, the outtakes that didn’t make it to the cover photo or main post.
And also, the views from Little House just as I was finishing with dinner were worthy of sharing.
Is This Dish in Your Future?
I created this dish at Little House in the Rockies, but will make it at Glover Gardens, for sure!
Would you try this at home—or riff on it with your own fridge finds? Let me know how your version turns out!
© 2025, Glover Gardens
Note: Kim Glover and Glover Gardens do not participate in any affiliate advertising program designed to earn fees by advertising and linking to products and sites. All recommendations, such as the one for Alouette, are based on personal opinion and experience and should not be considered as advertisements.
