Go fish: a seafood sampling from Sunset's '30 Minutes or Less Cookbook.' - includes recipes - Special Issue: Quick, Light & Healthy

Sunset, Summer, 1997

1/3 cup silvered fresh basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dried basil

1. Rinse swordfish, salmon, and sole; pat dry. Cut fish into bite-size pieces and set aside.

2. Pour oil into a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add celery, onion, and garlic. Stir often until onion is limp, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Stir 2 cups water, pasta sauce, wine, and chili flakes into pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add fish, and simmer, uncovered, until fish is opaque but still moist-looking in thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Ladle soup into a tureen or bowls and sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Per serving: 296 cal., 30% (90 cal.) from fat; 34 g protein; 10 g fat (3 g sat.); 13 g carbo (2 g fiber); 614 mg sodium; 72 mg chol.

South Seas Swordfish

SERVES 4

Prep and cook time: 25 minutes

Notes: Coconut extract is the lowest-fat flavor alternative for coconut milk. Add hot rice to complete the main course.

1 1/2 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract 1 to 1 1/4 pounds swordfish (about 3/4 in. thick) 2 bags (10 oz. each) washed spinach 3 cups hot cooked rice 1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon water 1/4 cup lemon juice

Salt

1. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, combine broth, ginger, and coconut extract. Bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Rinse fish, drain, and add to pan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fish is opaque but still moist-looking in thickest part (cut to test), 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spatula, transfer fish to a platter; keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, discard yellow or wilted spinach leaves and coarse stems.

4. Add spinach to pan and stir over high heat until wilted, about 5 minutes (if pan won't hold all the leaves, add a portion; when these have wilted, add more). With a slotted spoon, transfer spinach to platter with fish. Add rice to platter; keep warm.

5. Stir cornstarch mixture, add to pan, and stir until boiling. Add lemon juice, then pour over fish. Season fish with salt to taste.

Per serving: 404 cal., 13% (54 cal.) from fat; 35 g protein; 6 g fat (3 g sat.); 51 g carbo (4 g fiber); 445 mg sodium; 50 mg chol.

Salmon with Citrus-Mint Gremolata

SERVES 4

Prep and cook time: 25 minutes

Notes: Use a frying pan with an ovenproof handle. Garnish salmon with mint sprigs.

1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 1/2 cup thawed frozen orange juice concentrate 1/4 cup lemon juice 4 salmon fillets with skin (6 to 7 oz. each), 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 2 cups hot cooked rice

1. Mix mint, orange peel, and lemon peel; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, stir together orange juice concentrate and lemon juice.

3. Rinse fish and pat dry.

4. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan with an ovenproof handle, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter sizzles, add fish, skin side down. Cook until skin is well browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Gently slide a spatula under skin of each fillet to release it from pan, but leave fish in place.