ONLINE EXTRA — CATCH OF THE DAY: Szechuan Dry-Braised Prawns . . . Olive Oil-Poached Salmon . . . Wine-Poached Sole, etc.

Szechuan Dry-Braised Prawns

1 pound medium-size prawns (26 to 30 count), shelled and deveined, with tails intact

FOR MARINADE:

Pinch of salt

Pinch white pepper

1 egg white

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons oil

For blanching:

About 3 cups vegetable oil

FOR SPICES:

½ small white onion, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon chili paste

FOR SEASONINGS:

½ cup ketchup

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ tablespoon soy sauce

1 green onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Combine salt, white pepper, egg white, cornstarch and 2 tablespoons oil with prawns. Let stand 10 minutes. To oil-blanch: Set wok over high heat for about 1 minute. Add 3 cups vegetable oil and heat to 300 degrees. Add prawns, stirring gently to separate. Blanch until pink. Remove, and drain.

To braise: Remove all but 3 tablespoons oil from wok. Add onion and brown slightly; stir in ginger, garlic and chili paste, and cook until fragrant. Add ketchup, dry sherry, sugar, salt and soy sauce.

Add prawns, and braise over high heat until sauce is reduced. Stir in green onion and sesame oil.

Transfer to platter to serve.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 192 calories, 12 grams protein, 12 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 10 grams carbohydrates, 480 milligrams sodium, 80 milligrams cholesterol, no dietary fiber.

Olive Oil-Poached Salmon

FOR SALSA VERDE:

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced to a pulp

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon cornichons, minced

3 fillets salt-packed anchovies, rinsed and chopped

1 tablespoon finely minced lemon peel

Extra virgin olive oil to cover

1 bunch parsley, leaves only, minced

½ bunch tarragon, leaves only, minced

1 bunch chervil, leaves only, minced

FOR SALMON:

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 pieces wild salmon fillet (5½ ounces each)

1 small onion, minced (Vidalia or Maui are best)

4 ears corn, kernels removed from cobs

¼ cup chicken stock

8 sprigs fresh thyme with leaves removed and minced

Salt and pepper

1½ cups chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned

2 shallots, minced

10 sprigs Italian parsley, leaves only, minced

French sea salt

To make salsa verde: Soak shallots and garlic with lemon juice and let rest several minutes. Add capers, cornichons, anchovies and lemon peel. Cover with oil then add herbs (this sequence prevents discoloration). Sauce should be vibrant and bold in flavor.

Yield: About 1½ cups.

To make salmon: In a medium saucepan over very low heat, add 4 cups olive oil and warm to about 190 degrees. Place salmon in oil. Let fish cook 10 minutes; turn and cook another 10 minutes for medium rare. Or you can cook slightly longer if you prefer fish cooked through more.

In another medium saucepan, saute onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes, just until it becomes translucent, but not brown. Add corn and cook another 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock, thyme, and salt and pepper. Simmer until stock evaporates by half.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, saute chanterelles in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown. Add shallots, salt and pepper, and cook another minute.

Remove from heat; sprinkle with parsley.

To serve: Spoon ¼ of corn into center of each of four plates. Place ¼ of chanterelles around plate. Place a piece of salmon on top of corn, and garnish with salsa verde and sea salt.

Yield: Serves 4.

Wine-Poached Sole

1 pound sole fillets

Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 shallots minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup white wine

¼ teaspoon dried dill

1/8 teaspoon each black pepper and salt

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Heat oil in saute pan. Add shallots and garlic. Saute for one minute. Add wine, dill and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Add sole. Baste sole with liquid. Poach 2 to 3 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with a fork. It is not necessary to turn the fish. Remove fish to serving plate. Turn heat to high. Reduce liquid by half. Spoon liquid over fillets.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 121 calories, 3 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 109 milligrams sodium.

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

¼ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup bourbon

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¾ pound salmon fillet

Stir together the broth, bourbon, tomato paste and honey in a medium skillet on medium-high heat. When it comes to a simmer, add the salmon. Keeping the sauce at a low simmer, cook the salmon 3 minutes; turn and cook 3 more minutes. The sauce will cook to a glaze. Divide salmon between 2 dinner plates and spoon glaze on top.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 456 calories, 18 percent of calories from fat, 9.2 grams fat (2.2 grams saturated), 110 milligrams cholesterol, 39.8 grams protein, 29.8 grams carbohydrate, 0.8 grams fiber, 231 milligrams sodium.

Teriyaki Tuna

2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tablespoon rice vinegar

1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (2 teaspoons)

½ pound fresh tuna

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix soy sauce, honey, garlic, vinegar and ginger together. Rinse tuna and marinate in the sauce 15 minutes, turning once.

Drain tuna, reserving marinade. Brown it for 2 minutes in a wok used for the lettuce. Turn and brown other side for two minutes. Lower heat and add marinade. Cook another two minutes for rare or 4 minutes for medium. Divide tuna into two portions and serve over rice with any remaining sauce spooned over the top. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 170 calories, 28 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fat, 6 percent of calories from fat, 0.03 grams fiber, 51 milligrams cholesterol, 644 milligrams sodium.

‘No-Work’ Cioppino

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

½ pound (about 1½) leeks, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally ½-inch thick

1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 dried bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

1½ cups peeled and diced tomatoes, cut into ¾-inch dice

8 ounces tomato sauce

1 cup dry white or red wine

½ to 1 cup clam juice

Salt

Hot sauce

4 to 6 ounces large shrimp (16 to 20 count per pound), shelled and deveined

½ pound large scallops

6 ounces firm, light-flesh fish steaks (such as swordfish), cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

2 tablespoons cold butter, chopped

Freshly chopped basil and oregano, for garnish

In a medium, heavy-bottom pot heated over medium-high heat, add the oil, then stir in the onions, leeks, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, pepper and saffron. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the herbs are fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce and wine. Cover and simmer gently to develop the flavors, 30 to 45 minutes. Thin if desired with ½ cup to 1 cup clam juice. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste. The cioppino base can be made ahead of time to this point; remove from heat, cover and refrigerate up to one day (reheat before continuing).

To the pot, add the shrimp, scallops and fish. Cover and simmer gently just until the fish and shellfish are firm and opaque, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and remove from heat. Stir in the chopped cold butter, stirring just until the butter melts to add a little richness to the broth. This makes about 5 cups cioppino. Ladle the cioppino into wide bowls, garnishing each serving with freshly chopped basil and oregano. Serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 338 calories, 23 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 16 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 111 milligrams cholesterol, 7 grams sugar, 915 milligrams sodium.

Citrus-Glazed Salmon with Spinach

1 large ruby red grapefruit

12 to 16 ounces fresh spinach

¾ cup white balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar with a touch of honey

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 salmon fillets or steaks, about 4 ounces each

1 medium shallot, finely chopped

Peel and section grapefruit over a bowl, catching the juice; you’ll need about ¼ cup. Dice grapefruit segments; place segments and spinach in a large bowl.

Combine 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice, ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Arrange salmon on a plate; pour ½ cup vinaigrette over salmon (reserving remaining vinaigrette). Let stand 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat broiler. Line a broiler pan or shallow baking pan with foil; brush with oil. Remove salmon from marinade, discarding marinade; place salmon in pan. Broil 8 to 10 minutes.

To dress spinach, put reserved vinaigrette in a heavy saucepan; reduce slightly over medium-high heat. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice, ¼ cup vinegar and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl with the shallots and reduced vinaigrette. Pour over spinach; toss to coat. Divide spinach among four dinner plates; top with salmon.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 365 calories, 47 percent of calories from fat, 19 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 19 grams carbohydrates, 29 grams protein, 281 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.

Crispy Fish

¾ pound tilapia fillets

¼ cup coarse cornmeal

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

Wash fillet and pat dry with paper towel. Season cornmeal with salt and pepper to taste. Dip fillets into cornmeal, making sure both sides are well coated. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add fish and saute 4 minutes. Turn and saute 4 minutes for a 1-inch thick fillet.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 276 calories, 25 percent of calories from fat, 7.7 grams fat (2 grams saturated, 4.5 grams monounsaturated), 84 milligrams cholesterol, 35.6 grams protein, 15.7 grams carbohydrates, 0.8 grams fiber, 91 milligrams sodium.

La Bourride

¾ pound red potatoes

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup sliced celery

2 large leaves Swiss chard, leaves and stalk, sliced (1 cup)

1 cup sliced leek

½ cup fat-free, low-salt chicken broth

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon orange juice

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

6 clams

¾ pound mahi mahi

½ cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash potatoes, do not peel. Slice ¼-inch thick. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 3 minutes. Or, place in a steaming basket and steam over hot water 10 minutes.

While potatoes cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add carrots, celery, Swiss chard, leek and chicken broth. Sauté until all vegetables are wilted, but not brown, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix garlic and orange juice into mayonnaise. Set aside.

Wash clams and rinse fish and pat dry with a paper towel. When vegetables are soft, add mahi mahi, white wine and salt and pepper to taste to the skillet. Cover with a lid and simmer over medium heat 7 minutes. Add the clams, cover and simmer 3 minutes or until clams open. Remove fish and clams to a plate. Add mayonnaise to the skillet and blend well.

To serve, divide the potatoes into 2 portions and place in 2 large soup bowls. Divide the fish and shellfish into 2 portions and place on top of the potatoes. Spoon the vegetables and sauce over the top of the fish.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 570 calories, 30 percent of calories from fat, 18.8 grams fat (2.8 grams saturated, 4 grams monounsaturated), 146 milligrams cholesterol, 43.6 grams protein, 46.5 grams carbohydrates, 6.7 grams fiber, 810 milligrams sodium.

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