Marinated Salmon, Pilaf Perfect Match

Reducing fat may be as simple as forgetting the margarine and incorporating a healthful side dish into a recipe.

That’s what we did with a recipe for Brown Sugar Baked Salmon that called for baking the fish in a sweet marinade of brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice and margarine. The original recipe had 399 calories per serving and 18 grams of fat, which accounted for 41 percent of the calories.

Salmon is naturally high in fat, but it contains the healthful omega 3 fats that help lower the risk of heart disease. Margarine added fat and calories without really improving the flavor - the fish tastes just as good baked in the marinade without it. The sugar in the marinade creates a honey-brown caramelized glaze.

Reducing the fat calories to less than 30 percent also required cutting the portion size of the fish and adding a nutritious, filling pilaf made with rice and bulgur, or cracked wheat.

The pilaf is generously seasoned with onion, mushrooms, chicken broth and Asian sesame oil. You can cook it on the stove while the fish bakes; it provides a delicious balance to the sweet, tender fish.

The revised recipe has more calories than the original because it includes the pilaf, but the fat is reduced to 12.5 grams, or only 26 percent of the calories.

Brown Sugar-Baked Salmon With Two-Grain Pilaf

1 pounds salmon filet

Marinade:

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons dry white wine or water

Pilaf:

1 teaspoon canola oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup long grain white rice

1/2 cup bulgur

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 (15-ounce) can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil

Cut the fish into six even servings, if desired. Place in a glass or ceramic baking dish.

In a separate container, mix the brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice and wine or water. Stir until the brown sugar dissolves and pour over the fish. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the fish with the marinade, basting frequently. If you have cut the fish into pieces, bake for 12 to 15 minutes; if the fish is whole, bake it for 20 to 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from heat and discard the marinade.

While the fish is cooking, heat the canola oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are light brown.

Stir in the rice, bulgur, salt, pepper, nutmeg, chicken broth, water and sesame oil. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes, then turn off heat, keep covered, and allow to stand for 5 minutes for pilaf to absorb all liquid. Serve the pilaf with the fish.

Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving, including pilaf: 436 calories, 12.5 grams fat (26 percent fat calories), 38 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrate, 93 milligrams cholesterol, 736 milligrams sodium.

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