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Tacos With Salmon or Arctic Char Greens and Tomatillo Salsa - 15g Carbs, 3g Fiber

By: Martha Rose Shulman VIA New York Times
Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."
Either salmon or arctic char will work in this dish. You can oven-steam it ahead and flake the fish, then just toss with the greens and salsa when you are ready to serve the tacos. The fish doesn't have to be hot; but it should be well seasoned.

1 lb salmon OR arctic char fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch spinach OR chard (about 3/4 lb), stemmed & washed well in 2 changes of water
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 to 3 Serrano OR jalapeno chiles (to taste), minced
1 cup cooked tomatillo salsa
2 to 3 oz crumbled queso fresco or feta (optional)
Shredded cabbage (optional)
8 to 10 corn tortillas
Chopped cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the foil. Place the salmon or arctic char on top. Season with salt and gently rub the salt into the surface of the salmon. Add pepper to taste. Fill a roasting pan or cake pan halfway with boiling water and place it on the oven floor. Place the fish in the oven and bake 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the thickness), until white beads of protein appear on the surface and the fish can be pulled apart with a fork. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle it. If desired, scrape away the white protein beads, then flake the fish and place in a bowl. Discard the skin. Season the fish well with salt and pepper.

2. Steam the spinach or chard just until wilted, about 1 minute for spinach, 2 minutes for chard, or blanch in boiling salted water (20 seconds for spinach, about 1 minute for chard). Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and, taking the greens up by the handful, squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine.

3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy, medium size skillet and add the garlic and chile. Stir until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add the greens and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and toss in the pan for about a minute, until nicely infused with the oil, garlic and chile. Remove from the heat and add to the fish. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Taste and adjust seasonings.

4. Heat the tortillas: wrap in a kitchen towel and place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and steam 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes without uncovering. Top the hot tortillas with the fish. Spoon on a little more salsa and if desired, garnish with crumbled cheese and shredded cabbage. Fold the tortillas over and serve.

Advance preparation: The salsa will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can oven steam the fish several hours ahead and the steamed spinach will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator.

Yield: 8 to 10 tacos
Nutrition per taco (8 tacos): 174 Calories, 6g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 2g Polyunsaturated Fat, 2g Monounsaturated Fat, 27mg Cholesterol, 15g Carbs, 3g Dietary Fiber, 159mg Sodium (does not include salt to taste), 15g Protein

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Summer Tacos

From: Martha Rose Shulman author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health." VIA New York Times
I've always had a weakness for green salsa made with tomatillos, so when I stumbled upon a stall at a small farmers' market selling beautiful firm, purple-tinged tomatillos last week, I bought them on impulse. I let the other produce at the market guide my decisions about the taco fillings I now knew I'd be working on in the coming days. That wasn't difficult; the same farmer who had the tomatillos had pink-skinned potatoes and red onions. I bought corn and squash, cilantro and beautiful green beans at other stands. And now I had a great destination for the serrano chiles that were ready in my garden.
Tomatillos, which are closer botanically to the gooseberry than to the tomato, have a wonderful acidic tang. They're low in calories and a good source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, as well as dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, niacin, potassium and manganese. To get the best out of them they should be simmered or grilled for about 10 minutes, until they're soft and the color has gone from pale green to olive. You can use them for a quick, blended salsa and also for a cooked salsa, which has a rounder, seared flavor. I made both last week and used them with different taco fillings. The salsas keep well in the refrigerator and I'm enjoying the leftovers with just about everything I make, from scrambled eggs to grilled fish to plain corn tortillas that I crisp in the microwave.

Quick Fresh Tomatillo Salsa - 4g Carbs, 1g Fiber

1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 to 4 jalapeno OR serrano chiles, seeded for a milder salsa, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, drained and rinsed
1/4 to 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (to taste)
Salt, to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
1/4 to 1/2 cup water, as needed

1. Place the tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until softened and olive green. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a blender. Add the chiles, onion, cilantro, and 1/4 cup water to the blender and blend to a coarse puree. Transfer to a bowl, add salt, and thin out as desired with water. Taste and adjust salt, and set aside for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to develop.

Yield: 2 cups
Servings: 8
Nutrition per Serving: 21 Calories, 1g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 0g Polyunsaturated Fat, 0g Monounsaturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4g Carbs, 1g Dietary Fiber, 146mg Sodium (based on 1/2 tsp salt), 1g Protein
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Cooked Tomatillo Salsa - 4 g Carbs, 1g Fiber

From: Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

1 lb fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed OR 2 13-oz cans, drained
2 or 3 jalapeno OR serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded for a milder salsa
1/4 cup chopped white onion, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, then drained and rinsed
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp grapeseed oil OR sunflower oil OR canola oil
2 cups chicken stock OR vegetable stock
Salt to taste (1/2 to 1 tsp)

1. Place the tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until softened and olive green. Drain and place in a blender. Add the chiles, chopped onion, garlic, salt, and cilantro sprigs. Blend until smooth.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat until it ripples. Drizzle in a drop of tomatillo puree to test the heat. If it makes a lot of noise and sputters immediately, the oil is hot enough. Add the tomatillo puree, and stir constantly until it thickens and begins to stick to the pan, about 5 minutes. When you run your spoon down the middle of the pan it should leave a canal. Stir in the stock, bring to a simmer, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. The sauce should coat the front and back of your spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Advance preparation: Both salsas will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. You will need to thin out the fresh salsa with water. The cooked salsa freezes well.

Yield: 2 cups
Servings: 8
Nutrition per Serving: 40 Calories, 2g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 1g Polyunsaturated Fat, 0g Monounsaturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 4g Carbs, 1g Dietary Fiber, 153mg Sodium (based on 1/2 tsp salt); 1g Protein