what's for dinner?

march 2003

March can be spring or winter depending on the day, but as we shop for foods for dinner, we begin to find strawberries that actually taste sweet, and asparagus that we can afford. So, this month we bring you recipes that use all of those seasonal foods that you have begun to find once again.

Our first recipe is so good that you'll want to make it often, just changing the ingredients. We used salmon because we love the richness of this fish, but feel free to substitute your favorite fish or shellfish. The good thing about this recipe is that after you have cooked the potatoes, you have little to do but close the packets and bake. The result is just plain great. Make some of our biscotti and serve with sugar-free sorbet for dessert.   Salmon and Asparagus in Parchment (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) Our second spring meal is traditional at our houses for St. Patrick's Day. Corned beef brisket is a high-fat protein that's also high in sodium, so we used to only allow ourselves to indulge on this special occasion. But, if the fat of the corned beef brisket is removed before cooking, it becomes a lean protein. It now lacks the flavor that the fat added, but by using an onion, celery, and garlic in the cooking liquid, some of that flavor is regained. With the corned beef, of course, we serve boiled cabbage and potatoes-this time teaming the potatoes with some baby carrots. For dessert, we suggest a crisp apple, pear, or maybe some seedless grapes. Beware the meal is still high in sodium and not appropriate for most low-sodium diets.   Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner Horseradish-Mustard Sauce (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) The next entrée tastes as fresh as a sunny spring morning. It's so simple to make, you'll want to remember it all year long. Gremolata is an Italian garnish made from minced parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. A traditional garnish for Osso Buco, here it adds a fresh, sprightly flavor to roasted chicken breasts. We served it with steamed fresh asparagus and grits.   Baked Chicken Breast with Gremolata (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) Spring also means the arrival of fresh peas in the market, so we developed a simple but sumptuous fresh pea soup to celebrate spring. With it we suggest serving a fresh mushroom omelet. The recipe is on www.diabetic-recipes.com. Look under breakfast recipes. Offer fresh apricots for dessert. If you can't find fresh peas for the soup, you can use frozen peas with good results.   Spring Pea Soup (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) BSP and FTG