I picked up a package of locally-smoked salmon. But we didn’t have bagels and I didn’t feel like eggs and salmon. How about noodles? In my pantry I had fusilli noodles — those are the corkscrew shaped ones. I had asparagus and basil. So that’s what I used.

First I boiled the entire package of fusilli.

Meanwhile, I chopped up a big clove of garlic. I chop that first, because the book Eating on the Wild Side said you can double the nutritional value of garlic if you let it sit for 10 minutes after chopping it, before you cook it. Then I chopped up the basil, a slice of anchovy and some capers.

I preheated my oven to 350, laid out the asparagus on a sheet of parchment paper, sprinkled some course salt on it and drizzled it with olive oil and threw it in the oven for 15 minutes.

I wizzed a dried ancho pepper in my coffee grinder turned spice grinder.

When the noodles were done, I cut the salmon into big chunks and tossed it in. I poured some milk over it. I added the garlic/basil/anchovy/capers. Tossed in the red paper flakes from the grinder. Added some onion powder and my trusty Ted and Barney’s salt and pepper mix. Added some oregano and quite a lot of lemon juice. Finally I took the asparagus out of the oven, sliced it up and added it to the noodles as well. Finally, I tossed in a little white wine I found in the refrigerator.

So what’s in the dish?

• Noodles (I used fusilli, but any noodle will do)
• Smoked salmon. Fresh salmon would be awesome in this.
• Fresh basil, chopped
• A big clove of garlic or two small cloves, chopped.
• 1 slice of anchovy (optional, but it boosts the flavor)
• A small handful of capers, chopped.
• Half a cup of milk
• Lemon juice
• Asparagus
• A dash of white wine if you have it on hand.
• Red pepper flakes
• Oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Onion powder if you have it.