SEAFOOD BLANQUETTE WITH GREEN VEGETABLES

SEAFOOD BLANQUETTE WITH GREEN VEGETABLES

Serves 4.

Note: Salmon, scallops and large shrimp in a tarragon-scented white wine and cream sauce star in this luscious French-style stew, together with chard and snow peas. If shrimp with heads are available, they will produce an even richer stock. Sautéed exotic mushrooms are other great additions. Rice pilaf or steamed new potatoes are good accompaniments.

• 2 c. fish or seafood stock (available packaged)

• 1/2 c. dry white wine

• 8 jumbo shrimp (about 9 oz. total), shelled and deveined, shells reserved

•1/2 lb. Swiss chard, leaves only, rinsed thoroughly

• 6 oz. snow peas, ends and strings removed

• 1/4 lb. small sea scallops

• 3/4 lb. salmon fillet, skinned

• 1 c. heavy cream, divided

• 1 tbsp. minced fresh tarragon leaves

• 1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Directions

Bring stock, wine and shrimp shells to boil in medium saucepan. Simmer uncovered over low heat 15 minutes. Strain stock.

Pile chard leaves, halve them lengthwise and cut them crosswise in 1/2-inch wide strips. Cook chard uncovered in a saucepan of boiling salted water to cover over high heat until just tender, about 3 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain well and press gently to remove excess liquid.

Cook snow peas uncovered in saucepan of boiling salted water over high heat 1 minute; they should remain crisp. Rinse with cold water and drain well.

Bring stock to a boil in a large deep skillet. Stir in 1/2 cup cream and bring to simmer, stirring. Add pinch of salt and pepper. Add shrimp and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Turn shrimp over. Add salmon and scallops and cook until seafood color changes, about 4 more minutes; shaking pan occasionally. Remove seafood with slotted spoon and divide among shallow bowls. Cover and keep warm.

Boil sauce until reduced to about 1 cup. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup cream. Boil, whisking often, until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon, about 10 minutes.

Stir in vegetables and reheat briefly. Remove from heat. Add tarragon, chives and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Drain any liquid that escaped from seafood. Add vegetables to each bowl using slotted spoon. Pour sauce over fish in bowls and serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories370Fat24 gSodium380 mg

Protein29 gCholesterol170 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 21/2 fat.

EASY HALIBUT CURRY WITH GINGERROOT

Serves 4.

Note: Sautéed onions, garlic, chiles, cumin and other ground spices flavor the simple-to-prepare tomato sauce for this stew. You can substitute salmon steaks for the halibut. Brown or white rice, either steamed or prepared as pilaf are good partners for the fish and its sauce.

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 tbsp. minced peeled ginger root

• 5 medium garlic cloves, minced

• 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, minced

• 2 tsp. ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric

• 1/8 tsp. cayenne

• 2 tsp. tomato paste

• 1 (28-oz.) can tomatoes, drained and chopped

• 11/2 lb. halibut or salmon steaks, about 1-in. thick, rinsed, patted dry

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Directions

Heat oil in a large sauté pan, add onion and ginger root, and cook over low heat for 7 minutes, or until onion is soft but not brown. Add garlic, jalapeño, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle fish lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Add fish to sauce, cover and cook over low heat 7 minutes. Turn over and cook 3 more minutes or until fish becomes opaque and loses its raw color. Stir in half the cilantro. Serve fish sprinkled with remaining cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving:

Carbohydrates15 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium116 mg

Protein29 gCholesterol74 mgDietary fiber3 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 vegetable, 3 lean meat.

SEA BASS AND SHRIMP WITH LEEKS AND OLIVES

Serves 4.

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well, sliced thin

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 small carrot, finely diced

• 1 medium celery stick, diced, optional

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 large sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried, crumbled

• 1 (28-oz.) can tomatoes, diced, with their juice

• 1 lb. sea bass, halibut or cod fillet, about 1-in. thick, cut in 4 or 6 pieces

• 1/2 lb. large shrimp, shelled

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, deep heavy skillet. Add leeks, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer about 3/4 of the leeks to a bowl; cover and keep warm.

Add remaining oil to leeks left in the skillet and heat briefly. Add carrot, celery and garlic, and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, bay leaf and thyme. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Add fish pieces and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 4 minutes. Turn fish over carefully and cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook 2 or 3 minutes more or until shrimp turns bright pink and changes color throughout and fish becomes opaque and loses its raw color; cut a shrimp to check, and check fish with knife also. With a slotted spatula, carefully remove fish and shrimp.

If you want a thicker sauce, cook it uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until thick. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig. Stir in olives and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Variation: If you prefer a smooth tomato sauce to a chunky one, after you cook the fish, purée the sauce in a blender or food processor or with an immersion (hand-held) blender. Then stir in the olives. If you prefer, you can stir all the leeks into the puréed sauce instead of using them as a bed for the fish.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories330Fat16 gSodium800 mg

Carbohydrates18 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium148 mg

Protein30 gCholesterol113 mgDietary fiber4 g

MIDDLE EASTERN MARINATED FISH STEW WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND YOGURT MINT DRESSING

Serves 4.

Note: Cooks in the eastern Mediterranean flavor their fish liberally with garlic, cumin and fresh lemon juice, both for marinades and in sauces. A festive way to present this fish stew is with two sauces: Serve the fish in its tomato mint sauce, with the yogurt mint dressing on the side, for spooning over each portion.

• 11/2 lb. cod, halibut or other lean fish steaks, about 1-inch thick, rinsed, patted dry

• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

Fresh Mint Yogurt Dressing, optional:

• 11/2 tsp. chopped fresh mint

• 1/2 small garlic clove, finely minced

Tomato Mint Sauce:

• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 (28-oz.) can tomatoes, drained, chopped

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 tbsp. tomato paste

• 1 to 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint

• Whole fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Put fish steaks on a tray in one layer. For marinade, mix lemon juice with oil, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour over fish and turn to coat both sides. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes, turning steaks occasionally.

To prepare yogurt dressing: Mix yogurt with mint and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to room temperature for serving.

To prepare tomato mint sauce: Heat oil in a large deep skillet. Add garlic and sauté over medium heat, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add cumin, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat until juice begins to come out of tomatoes. Raise heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and sauce is thick. Add tomato paste.

Add fish steaks to sauce with their marinade and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, basting fish occasionally, for 10 minutes or until fish becomes opaque and loses its raw color. Stir in mint. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve fish stew hot, cold, or at room temperature, garnished with fresh mint sprigs. Serve yogurt dressing on the side.

Calories340Fat17 gSodium480 mg

Carbohydrates13 gSaturated fat3 gCalcium160 mg

Protein36 gCholesterol92 mgDietary fiber2 g