Smart choice

Reinforce healthy eating resolutions with a citrus glaze on broiled fish

Thin-shred orange or tangerine marmalade adds zing to this glaze.
Thin-shred orange or tangerine marmalade adds zing to this glaze.

Now is the time that many New Year’s resolutions to eat more healthfully begin to fade. And it’s easy to understand why that happens as we approach late January.

For decades, psychologists have told us that it takes at least 21 days of repeated practice to form a new habit, and many more recent studies have concluded that, especially for more complicated behaviors, most people need much longer than that. Considering that healthy eating involves not just one behavior but many — making the right ingredient choices, cooking them in ways that maximize flavor while minimizing fat and calories, avoiding overeating and so many other practices — it’s no wonder that resolve can begin to fade as the days and weeks, not to mention months, wear on.

That’s why positive reinforcement can be such an important factor. It could come from feeling your clothing getting looser, watching the numbers go down steadily on your scale (but don’t weigh yourself more than once a week!), receiving a compliment from a friend or loved one, or simply realizing that you have more energy.

But reinforcement can and should also come directly from the food you cook and eat — from the pleasure it brings you with every bite. After all, the more delicious your healthy food is, the more likely you’ll be to slow down and savor it, feeling more satisfied with sensible portions. So I believe it’s important, especially at times like this, to keep your eyes open for healthy new recipes that are, simply put, easy to make and exciting to eat.

That’s why I’m so happy to share with you one of my favorite dishes from my book Wolfgang Puck Makes

It Healthy. It’s a light yet flavorful recipe for quickly broiled fish fillets coated with a glaze of fresh citrus juice, a dollop of sweet-and-tangy marmalade, and lively touches of rice vinegar, fresh ginger, grated lemon zest and minced garlic. After no more than about 10 minutes total under the broiler, the fish is served with a refreshing little salad of watercress sprigs, which provides a crispy, peppery contrast to the tender seafood.

Yes, that’s a combination of flavors that looks as beautiful and tastes as exciting as it sounds. And though the flavors are big, the fat and calorie levels are low — well under 200 calories per serving, and with less than a quarter of those calories coming from fat. Add a serving of your favorite whole-grain side for a nicely balanced main dish.

Try the glaze with any other kind of fish fillets you like, too. And it also produces great results with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The results will fill you with happiness, reinforcing your smart new eating habits.

CITRUS-GLAZED HALIBUT FILLETS WITH WATERCRESS GARNISH

Serves 4

CITRUS-GLAZED HALIBUT:

4 halibut fillets, each about 6 ounces and 1 inch thick

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup thin-shred orange or tangerine marmalade

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced fresh chile pepper, optional

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil

WATERCRESS GARNISH:

2 cups small watercress sprigs

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Pinch kosher salt

Pinch freshly ground white pepper

Pinch sugar

Directions:

Put the fish fillets in a dish large enough to hold them side by side. Grind a little black pepper over both sides of the fillets. Cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a nonreactive saucepan, stir together the rice vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, marmalade, ginger, garlic, chile pepper (if you want a spicier flavor), white pepper and salt to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat slightly, and continue boiling until the mixture has reduced to about 1/2 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside, leaving the mixture to cool.

Whisk the oil into the cooled mixture. Remove the fish fillets from the refrigerator, uncover them, and spoon all of the glaze over the fillets, turning them to coat them evenly. Cover again with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.

When the broiler is hot, transfer the fish fillets to a broiler pan or baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Spoon the citrus glaze left behind in the dish over them. Place the broiler pan or baking dish under the broiler, and cook until the fish is nicely browned and barely cooked through in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on thickness, turning them once, carefully, with a spatula.

While the fish is broiling, prepare the watercress. Put the sprigs in a bowl, and sprinkle with the vinegar, salt, white pepper and sugar. Toss well. Set aside.

As soon as the fish is done, place a fillet on each heated serving plate. Spoon any glaze left in the broiler pan or baking dish over the fish. Mound the watercress on top. Serve immediately.

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