The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (65 page)

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 360 CALORIES, 22 G FAT, 112 MG CHOLESTEROL, 5 G CARBOHYDRATE, 206 MG SODIUM, 36 G PROTEIN, 2 G FIBER

sole rolls with spinach and lemon slices

SERVES 4

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 shallot, minced

¾ pound spinach, stems removed

Pinch of coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 large lemon, washed

1 tablespoon finely chopped almonds

1 tablespoon mixed finely chopped fresh herbs, such as chervil, parsley, chives, and tarragon

4 fillets (4 ounces each) gray sole, lemon sole, or flounder

¼ cup dry white wine

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F, with the rack in the center. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the shallot; cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Raise heat to medium; add spinach and salt, and season with pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander, pressing down to remove liquid. Chop finely; squeeze out remaining liquid. Divide the spinach into 4 equal parts.

2.
Slice the lemon in half crosswise; grate the zest of half, and combine with the almonds and herbs in a small bowl; set aside. Slice the other lemon half very thinly into rounds.

3.
Lay the fillets flat on a work surface, prettiest side down; place 1 part spinach at the narrow end of each. Roll the fish into a cylinder, enclosing the spinach. Place in a gratin dish, with lemon rounds in between. Pour the wine into the dish. Sprinkle one-quarter of the almond mixture on top of each roll; cover with parchment and then aluminum foil. Bake until the fish is opaque and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 152 CALORIES, 5 G FAT, 57 MG CHOLESTEROL, 4 G CARBOHYDRATE, 236 MG SODIUM, 22 G PROTEIN, 3 G FIBER

seared shrimp with lemon and garlic

SERVES 12

This versatile dish is equally delicious served piping hot or at room temperature.

4 lemons

4 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.
Finely grate the zest of 3 lemons. Juice all 4 lemons; strain the juice, and set aside. Place the shrimp in a large bowl; add the lemon zest, garlic, and ¼ cup olive oil; toss well to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

2.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. Working in batches, arrange a single layer of shrimp in the pan, being careful not to crowd them. Cook until the underside is golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds. Turn over, and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown and the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large serving platter. Deglaze the pan with 1½ tablespoons reserved lemon juice, stirring up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, and pour the pan sauce over the shrimp. Cover loosely with foil while repeating the process with the remaining batches, adding 1 tablespoon oil each time.

pan-fried scallops on caramelized fennel

SERVES 4

2 pounds fennel bulbs (about 2 medium)

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 dried bay leaves

Zest of 1 orange

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

8 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon coarse salt

Pinch of freshly ground white pepper

2 teaspoons light-brown sugar

1 14½-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth, or homemade

1 sprig thyme

¾ cup water

8 large scallops (about 14 ounces), muscles removed

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cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, for garnish

Shaved truffle, for garnish (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Trim the feathery tops from the fennel bulbs, and discard. Trim the stem pieces and outer leaves from the bulbs; clean, and reserve 2 cups (about 8 ounces) of these trimmings for the puree. Slice each bulb through the root into 4 ½-inch-thick strips.

2.
In a small roasting pan, combine the garlic, 1 shallot, 1 bay leaf, orange zest, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, 3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, white pepper, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and the chicken broth. Add the fennel slices, and gently toss to coat with the mixture. Cover the roasting pan with foil, and cook in the oven until the fennel is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes. Remove the fennel from the pan, and transfer to a plate to cool.

3.
Coarsely chop the fennel trimmings. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the trimmings, the remaining shallot, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the trimmings soften, about 4 minutes.

4.
Add the water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon brown sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover the pan, and simmer until the trimmings are soft when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme; transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Puree, adding 2 tablespoons oil through the feed tube with the motor running. Set aside.

5.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the reserved fennel slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, and set aside. In the same pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the scallops, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; sauté until brown on the first side, about 4 minutes. Turn, sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon salt, and add the parsley. Sauté until the other side is brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add the lemon juice to the pan. Toss the scallops and parsley in the pan juices.

6.
To serve, place 2 ¼-cup dollops of fennel puree on each plate; top each dollop with a fennel slice and a scallop. Garnish with wilted parsley leaves, toasted pine nuts, and shaved truffle, if desired.

lighter fish and chips

SERVES 4

2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon coarse salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 6-ounce Chilean sea bass or cod fillets (about 1 inch thick), skin removed

½ cup low-fat buttermilk

½ cup yellow cornmeal

¼ teaspoon paprika

Lemon wedges, for serving

Malt vinegar, for serving

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick strips. Rinse well in a large bowl of cold water, and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss well. Arrange strips in an even layer on the sheet. Bake on the lower rack until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, place the fish fillets in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, and gently turn the fish to coat. In another shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, paprika, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the fillets to the cornmeal one at a time, turning to completely coat. Transfer to a plate while repeating with the remaining fillets.

3.
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil; swirl to coat. Add the fillets, being careful not to overcrowd them. Cook until nicely crusted, about 1 minute; turn over with a spatula. Place the skillet in the top third of the oven, and cook until the fish is still firm but beginning to flake when pressed in the center, about 8 minutes. To serve, divide fish and potatoes among plates; offer lemon wedges and malt vinegar on the side.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 366 CALORIES, 11 G FAT, 72 MG CHOLESTEROL, 30 G CARBOHYDRATE, 506 MG SODIUM, 36 G PROTEIN, 2 G FIBER

beer-battered cod

SERVES 6 TO 8

Fried fish is the traditional filling of Baja tacos. They are simply garnished with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and sour cream.

2 large eggs

1 cup beer

1½ teaspoons coarse salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

1½ pounds cod fillets, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick strips

1.
Whisk together the eggs, beer, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl; set aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne; add to the egg mixture. Whisk until the batter is well combined; let rest 15 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large cast-iron or heavy skillet until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375°F.

3.
Dip the fish strips one at a time into the batter, letting excess drip off. Working in batches, drop carefully into hot oil; fry until the fish is golden and crisp and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

grilled mahimahi

SERVES 6 TO 8

You can use other types of firm, white-fleshed fish, or even shrimp or chicken.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 garlic cloves, smashed

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 to 3 sprigs thyme, oregano, or other herbs

1½ pounds mahimahi fillets

1.
Make the marinade: Combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin seeds, pepper, and herbs in a large resealable plastic bag or airtight plastic container. Shake well to combine.

2.
Add the fish, and shake gently to coat well with the marinade. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

3.
Heat a grill or grill pan. Remove the fish from the marinade, letting excess drip off; grill until browned on the outside and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side, turning once. Serve hot or at room temperature.

halibut with mushrooms

SERVES 10

¼ cup olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large leeks, white and light-green parts only, cut into thin matchsticks, well washed, and dried (about 10 cups)

4 shallots, thinly sliced into rings (1 cup)

8 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

10 halibut fillets (each 6 ounces, 1 inch thick; preferably square cuts), skinned

2 pounds oyster mushrooms, halved if large

Chive Oil, for drizzling (recipe follows)

Beet Salad, for serving (recipe follows)

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, shallots, garlic, and
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teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the leeks and shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Spread into 2 9 × 13-inch baking dishes, dividing evenly. Top with the fish; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add half of the mushrooms and ½ teaspoon salt. Raise heat to medium-high; cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Scatter the mushrooms over the fish. Repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms and ½ teaspoon salt.

3.
Bake until the fish is cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to plates. Drizzle with chive oil. Serve with beet salad.

chive oil

MAKES ABOUT ¾ CUP

2 large bunches chives (about 2½ ounces), cut into 1-inch lengths

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1.
Cook the chives in a small pot of boiling water until bright green, about 10 seconds. Drain; run under cold water. Pat dry.

2.
Put the chives in a blender. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream; puree. Let stand 1 hour. Strain through a damp cheesecloth-lined sieve; discard the solids.

beet salad

SERVES 10

8 small golden beets and 8 small red beets, stems trimmed to 1 inch

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the beets with ¼ cup oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil. Bake until tender, about 65 minutes.

2.
Let cool. Rub off the skins with paper towels; discard the skins. Cut into wedges. Put the golden and red beets into separate bowls.

3.
Whisk the vinegar and remaining oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.

4.
Drizzle the beets in the bowls with dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss together just before serving.

barbecued salmon fillets

SERVES 6

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 onion, roughly chopped