Fish That Can Really Fly

Speed is the key to weekday cooking, and seafood can be amazingly quick and easy to prepare.

Buy seafood the day you plan to cook it. Look for fish your fish monger tells you is the freshest that day and have him remove skin on filets to help eliminate fishy odor during cooking.

High heat is the key when cooking seafood. A hot nonstick skillet cooks the scallops in minutes; the spinach is cooked in the same pan in seconds. The same is true for the baked salmon: A 450-degree oven cooks the salmon in 6 to 10 minutes, depending on its thickness, while you prepare the Cherry Tomato Salad.

These dishes are festive enough for entertaining and can easily be doubled or tripled.

Mandel is author of “Celebrating the Midwestern Table” (Doubleday & Co., 1996).

Seared Scallops on Baby Spinach With Lemon Dill Sauce

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

LEMON DILL SAUCE

3 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon dried dill

* Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon zest, juice and dill in small bowl. Can be made day before and refrigerated.

SCALLOPS

8 sea scallops, rinsed and blotted dry (about 9 ounces)

Cayenne pepper

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons oil

1 1/2 teaspoons butter

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (4-ounce) bag baby spinach, stems trimmed and washed

* Sprinkle 1 side of scallops with cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add scallops in single layer, seasoned side down. Cook, covered, until seared, about 2 minutes. Season top of scallops with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Turn and cook, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside on warm plate.

* Add vinegar to hot skillet, then garlic and spinach. Stir-fry until spinach is wilted, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

* Divide spinach between 2 warm dinner plates. Top with scallops. Spoon Lemon Dill Sauce on side. Serve hot.

2 servings. Each serving: 267 calories; 547 mg sodium; 60 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 21 grams protein; 0.56 gram fiber.

Baked Salmon Topped With Warm Cherry Tomato Salad

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Buy salmon filets that are similar in thickness so they cook for the same length of time.

CHERRY TOMATO SALAD

8 large cherry tomatoes, sliced (about 2/3 cup)

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons diced celery

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

* Heat tomatoes, green onions, celery, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, basil, celery seed, salt and pepper to taste in small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until warm and well mixed, about 1 minute.

SALMON

2 (5-ounce) salmon filets, skin removed, rinsed and blotted dry

Olive oil spray

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

* Lightly spray top of filets with olive oil spray. Generously season with salt and pepper. Place salmon oiled side up on foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray.

* Bake at 450 degrees until sizzling and fish flakes with fork, 6 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of filets.

* Place filets on warm dinner plates and spoon Cherry Tomato Salad with juices on each. Serve hot.

2 servings. Each serving: 222 calories; 365 mg sodium; 89 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 0.55 gram fiber.

Plates from William-Sonoma stores.