LEMON-GARLIC ROAST SALMON ON NEW POTATOES

Serves 4 generously and multiplies easily.

Marinade:

•1/2c. good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil

• 5 large cloves garlic

• Juice of 1 large lemon

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

The fish:

• 4 (1-in.)-thick salmon steaks (wild if possible), or Pacific cod or halibut

• 2 to 3 medium-size, unpeeled redskin potatoes, boiled to barely tender

• 2 generous tsp. pickled capers, rinsed, divided

• Leaves from 2 to 3 branches parsley

Directions

About a half-hour before cooking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor purée together the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salmon steaks and refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.

Have a shallow baking dish that can hold the salmon steaks, with some room to spare. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes, then overlap slices to cover the bottom of the dish.

Moisten the potatoes with a little marinade and sprinkle with half the capers. Top with the steaks and the rest of the marinade and capers. Bake the steaks 8 to 10 minutes, or until the center of a steak is no longer raw-looking. Serve hot, sprinkled with the leaves of parsley.

Variations:

Chutney Roast Fish: Make the marinade, but cut the oil down to1/4cup and add1/4to1/3cup fruit chutney after everything is puréed. Finish the recipe as directed, but do not use the capers.

Coconut Chile Pan Fish Roast: Instead of olive oil, lemon and garlic, marinate and roast the fish in a blend of1/2cup coconut milk,1/2teaspoon fish sauce, a generous tablespoon each minced ginger and garlic, and fresh hot chile to taste. Top the finished dish with fresh lime juice and chopped fresh Thai or sweet basil, or fresh coriander.

Nutrition information per serving (using 5-ounce salmon steaks):

Calories495Fat34 gSodium138 mg

Carbohydrates20 gSaturated fat6 gCalcium44 mg

Protein28 gCholesterol79 mgDietary fiber3 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 3 lean meat, 5 fat.