ROASTED ALASKA HALIBUT with CLAMS and SAKE BROTH

Prep Time: 15 minutes   Cook Time: 30 minutes   Servings: 6

1/3 cup miso
3 Tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 cups sake, divided
6 Alaska Halibut fillets (4 to 6 oz. each), fresh, thawed or frozen
18 steamer clams, scrubbed
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dried orzo pasta
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin diagonally
2 baby bok choy
1 package (8 oz.) frozen petite peas
1/2 cup green onions, finely slivered

Preheat oven to 450°F

Mix miso, sugar, and 2 teaspoons sake; set aside.

Rinse any ice glaze from frozen Alaska Halibut under cold water; pat dry with paper towel. Coat halibut with miso mixture and place fillets slightly apart on a lightly oiled baking pan.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes for frozen halibut OR 8 to 10 minutes for fresh/thawed fish. Cook just until fish is barely opaque and still very moist-looking in center of thickest part. Remove from oven; cover and keep warm.

In a large pot, steam clams. Remove clams and strain liquid (discard any clams that don’t open). Combine strained clam liquid, chicken broth, and remaining sake in pot. Bring to a boil. Add orzo and carrots; reduce to simmer. Cover and cook until orzo is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Trim and discard ends from bok choy. Pull leaves off stems; rinse. Cut stems and leaves diagonally into 1-inch lengths. Stir bok choy and peas into broth and orzo. Return to a boil; reduce to simmer; hold.

To serve, place one halibut fillet in a warm soup bowl. Surround it with three clams. Ladle 1 cup of the orzo and broth over and around fish. Garnish with a scant teaspoon of green onions.

Nutrients per serving: 442 calories, 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 13% calories from fat, 60mg cholesterol, 43g protein, 35g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 1248mg sodium, 161mg calcium and .8g omega-3 fatty acids.