A Dietitian's View

Cold Poached Salmon with Fennel-Pepper Relish

You can do all of the chopping and cooking for this dish the day before the party. Keep refrigerated until you're ready to serve, top the salmon with the relish juice before you put in on the buffet.

Relish:
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped fennel bulb
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons capers
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salmon:
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup chopped celery
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 (12-ounce) bottle dark ale (such as Liberty)
1 bay leaf
8 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick), skinned

To prepare the relish, combine the first 8 ingredients, stirring well. Cover and chill.

To prepare salmon, combine 1 cup onion and next 5 ingredients (onion through bay leaf) in a Dutch oven; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Strain liquid through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids.

Return liquid to pan; bring to a simmer. Add salmon; cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Remove salmon from pan; chill. Discard cooking liquid. Serve relish over salmon.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 3 tablespoons relish)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 338(35% from fat); FAT 13.2g (sat 3.1g,mono 5.7g,poly 3.2g); PROTEIN 37.3g; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 45mg; SODIUM 315mg; FIBER 1.3g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.7g

Asparagus with Black Pepper, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Sauce

Cook asparagus in salted water to maintain bright green color. You can vary the dressing by adding your favorite crumbled cheese, such as feta or blue cheese.

1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds asparagus spears, trimmed
3/4 cup (3 ounces) goat cheese, softened
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (drained)
1/4 cup fat-free milk

Bring 1 gallon water and salt to a boil in a Dutch oven; add asparagus. Cook 2 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels; chill.

Combine goat cheese, mayonnaise, juice, pepper, and bacon in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth.

Arrange asparagus on a platter; drizzle with sauce.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1/4 pound asparagus and 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 69(39% from fat); FAT 3g (sat 1.9g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 5.4g; CHOLESTEROL 7mg; CALCIUM 48mg; SODIUM 161mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.3g

Citrus Couscous Salad

You can serve this salad chilled or at room temperature. It pairs nicely with fish, chicken, or shrimp.

2 cups fresh orange juice, divided
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) package couscous (about 1 2/3 cups)
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Bring 1 1/2 cups orange juice, water, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place couscous in a large bowl.

Combine 1/2 cup orange juice, apricots, currants, and vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Drain and discard cooking liquid.

Add apricot mixture, cucumber, and remaining ingredients to couscous, tossing to combine.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 295(23% from fat); FAT 7.4g (sat 1g,mono 4.4g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 7.7g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 43mg; SODIUM 302mg; FIBER 5g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.4g

Courtesy of Cooking Light