Healthy eating

We swoon over seafood because seafood tastes GOOD! Okay, it’s healthy, too.
Written and photographed by Nancy Monaghan

We don’t really care all that much if seafood is healthy because we love it so much, in all forms and in all cooking methods. Low in calories – yes, I want my clams and lobster dunked in butter. High in potassium – that’s nice, I’ll have another piece of trout. The coveted Omega-3 fatty acids in seafood are said to help with ailments from arthritis to dementia and to be good for your skin, your arteries, and your longevity. What’s not to love?

Enjoy some of our recipes for a different twist on old favorites.

Lobster cobb salad
1 lb cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 large bunch Romaine lettuce
1 ripe avocado
2-3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy
½ to ¾ cup good blue cheese

For the dressing:
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

For the dressing: Whisk together vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly pour in olive oil, whisking to incorporate. Set aside.

Remove skin and pit of avocado and slice into large cubes. Put avocado into the dressing to keep it from browning while you assemble the salad. Chop Romaine into small chunks and place into a large bowl. Chop cooked bacon into bite-sized chunks. Add tomatoes, blue cheese and the dressing with avocado to the lettuce, toss to combine. Add lobster and bacon, lightly toss.

Traditional Cobb salad showcases ingredients on top of the lettuce, and you can certainly present it that way as well. Serves 4-6.

Shrimp on Rosemary Skewers
8 fresh rosemary sprigs, about 6” long
½ cup orange marmalade
½ cup flaked coconut, chopped
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp minced fresh rosemary
1-1/2 lbs uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Soak rosemary sprigs in water for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine marmalade, coconut, pepper flakes and rosemary. Set aside ¼ cup for sauce.

Thread shrimp onto rosemary sprigs. Lightly coat the grill rack with oil. Grill shrimp, covered, over medium heat for three to four minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink, basting occasionally with remaining marmalade mixture. Serve with sauce. Makes 8 skewers.
---Courtesy Taste of Home. For more recipes see Tasteofhome.com

Grilled Salmon over Lentil Salad With Walnut Vinaigrette

4 4-oz salmon filets
For the marinade:
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp canola oil
2 sprigs fresh tarragon, pulled and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

For the lentil salad:
1 cup dry brown or green lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 rosemary sprig
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
¼ cup very finely diced red onion
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped tarragon

For the walnut vinaigrette:
2 tbsp minced red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup rice or champagne vinegar
½ cup canola oil
½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
¼ tsp pepper
Lemon wedges for garnish

In a medium bowl combine the four marinade ingredients (mustard through garlic). Place salmon in marinade and gently toss until thoroughly coated, then place fish in a resealable bag and refrigerate for at least an hour. Heat grill to 375 degrees (when it’s too hot to hold your hand above the coals for more than five seconds).

In a 5-quart pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add lentils, bay leaf, garlic cloves and rosemary sprig. Cook lentils just until tender, about 30 minutes. Strain in colander. In a plastic bowl or cup with a fitted lid, combine ingredients for the walnut vinaigrette (red onion through pepper) shake until thoroughly mixed and emulsified.

In a large bowl, toss cooked lentils with carrots, celery and red onions. Stir in enough vinaigrette, about ¼ cup, to coat lentil mixture and store the remaining vinaigrette in the refrigerator (for up to a week). Add parsley and tarragon to lentil mixture and toss.

Lightly and cautiously spray the grill rack with canola cooking spray, then carefully place the salmon on the hot grill about two inches apart. Cook each side for three to four minutes at a diagonal angle to the rack to get professional-looking grill marks. Serve salmon over lentil salad and garnish with lemon wedges if desired.

Tips: To save time, prepare the components of the lentil salad up to a day ahead and toss in the vinaigrette at the last minute or two hours before serving. As a quick alternative, use 1-1/2 cups of canned, rinsed lentils or black or small red beans. The salmon can marinate at least 10 hours so consider preparing that portion of the meal in the morning before going to work and it’s ready to grill when you get home.
---Recipe and photo courtesy Canolainfo.org

Broiled Trout with Lemon Oil and Oven-Grilled Vegetables
1 cup canola oil
Zest of two lemons, about 2 tbsp
2 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then cut into¼” thick diagonal pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced into half moons
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp lemon oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 6-oz rainbow trout filets, skin removed
2 tsp lemon oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary 2” long
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for garnish

Prepare lemon oil: Combine canola oil and lemon zest in a blender, process until smooth then strain through a fine mesh strainer. Store in an airtight container or covered jar in the refrigerator for one to two days.

Preheat broiler. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic and rosemary. Drizzle vegetable mixture with balsamic vinegar and prepared lemon oil. Toss, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables in single layer on a baking sheet and place four inches under broiler for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender crisp and browned. Halfway through cooking, toss so they get evenly browned.

While vegetables are cooking, line a baking sheet with foil and coat with canola oil cooking spray. Place fish on baking sheet, sprinkle both sides with pepper and place a rosemary sprig under each filet. Drizzle each filet with ½ teaspoon of the lemon oil. Broil for seven to eight minutes or until fish is opaque and flaky.

Carefully remove trout from pan with spatula and serve with vegetables.
---Recipe and photo courtesy Canolainfo.org

Grilled Scallops with Citrus Aioli
1 dozen fresh large scallops
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Aioli:
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper or ground cumin
1/8 tsp hot paprika
Salt to taste

For aioli, place mayonnaise in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Grate garlic on a zester and add to mayonnaise, whisk to mix. Add lime juice, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper, whisk to mix. Add salt. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour (overnight is better).

Rinse scallops and pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Cook on a hot grill (or in a stovetop grill pan sprayed with fat-free cooking spray) about two-three minutes per side until scallops are opaque. Top with dollops of aioli sauce. Serves four.
---Sauce adapted from a recipe in Williams-Sonoma

Parmesan Herb Baked Haddock
1 2-lb fresh haddock filet*
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp lemon zest
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large plate, combine bread crumbs, cheese, lemon zest and herbs. Pat filets dry and season with salt and pepper. Brush skin side with oil and place top down in the bread crumb mixture. Pat down lightly so breading adheres.

Cover the bottom of a baking pan with parchment paper or tin foil and insert a baking rack. Place fish skin side down on the rack. Sprinkle any remaining bread crumb mixture on top so fish is evenly coated.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through – it will be opaque and flaky. Halfway through baking, line thin slices of lemon on top. Using two large spatulas, carefully remove fish to a serving platter and serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.
*Use 2 1-lb filets if you can’t find one large enough for four.
Note: Simple baked haddock is equally delicious: Just season filets with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil and place lemon slices on top at the beginning of the baking.

Classic Steamed Clams
50 Little Neck Clams
¼ lb. butter
Water

Rinse the clams. Put 2 inches of water in the bottom of a large pot or clam steamer. Add clams and steam for about 10-15 minutes or until the shells open. Serve with melted butter or cocktail sauce.

If any shells do not open, throw them away. Steamers make a great appetizer (usually a dozen per person), or in large quantities, a great addition to any outside party. Cherrystone clams are a little bigger, but watch carefully to remove as soon as they open so they don’t get tough.