The Fish for Dinner feature chronicles my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before adding the real deal into my diet, usually at a restaurant. The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus occasionally a few tips and tunes too.

I was eager to try this recipe because it’s so different from the standard fish ‘formula’ – meaning, lemon + butter + garlic and/or white wine. I have nothing against those wonderful ingredients, mind you, but it’s nice to mix things up every so often.

Now I am eager to make Swordfish with Smoked Paprika again – and add it to the regular rotation – because it’s quick, easy and downright delicious! 

The Occasion: Perfect for a weeknight dinner. The leftovers hold up well for lunch or supper the next day too. 

​The Recipe: Swordfish with Smoked Paprika comes to us from Hank Shaw at one of my fave food sites, Simply Recipes.

They have a down to earth style of describing the recipes, ingredients, and techniques and making them user-friendly.

​There’s a deep archive of tasty recipes in all categories, so you definitely should make this website one of your regular visits. 

What Makes it Special? It’s all about the beautiful warm spices and the lovely fresh herbs.  

Kitchen Tips: I discovered a helpful ingredient swap that made this dish even better, in my opinion. The recipe calls for pine nuts which: a) I did not have on hand, b) are wickedly expensive, and c) were known to cause a bad physical reaction for some diners a few years back. 

A smart person on the Google machine suggested substituting chopped cashews for pine nuts and I thought A-HA! It provides a creamy/crunchy texture and mild flavor like pine nuts. When toasted and added to the swordfish dish, I couldn’t imagine anything better. All hail the Power of the Internet!

Click on the photos below to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: Quick. Easy. Delicious. And a little different. DONE. I’ll for sure be making this again, and I might even goose up the quantity of smoked paprika. Bring on the flavor that we savor!
 
Find the Recipe at Simply Recipes. No seriously, go ahead and click on the link, then bookmark it. You are going to want, nay NEED, this recipe sometime soon. 
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The Occasion: This delightful adult beverage would be perfect for any occasion with the craft cocktail connoisseurs in your life. Something where you want to fiddle with 'off the beaten path' ingredients and show off just a little bit.

Our occasion was one of our Foodie Group dinners held a few months ago. The theme was Desert Flora and Fauna, so the prickly pear syrup in our drink fit the bill marvelously. Your blogger will not be documenting that meal as too much time has passed, but it lives on in fond memory especially when raising a glass of Smokey and the Pear. Salut!

What Makes it Special? Homemade prickly pear syrup is one special ingredient, and smoky mezcal is another.

Bar Chef Ilise also used orange vincotto in place of bitters (easily swappable if necessary); this is a reduction of non-fermented grapes. Together they create a flavor that is deep, dark, tangy, and refreshing.

Hard to describe but oh so easy to keep on a-sippin'.                   

​This Is How We Do It: First, make the prickly pear simple syrup. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

As an optional but decidedly festive touch, you can make garnishes in advance -- essentially candied fruit slices. ​Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Now it's finally time to make the cocktail. ​Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: OMG you need one now! Maybe two. Yes, it’s that good. 

Smokey and the Pear Cocktail
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Mezcal
• ½ oz Tequila
• ½ oz Orange Liqueur such as Cointreau
• 1½ oz Prickly Pear or Xoconostle simple syrup*
• ½ oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• ¼ Teaspoon Orange Vincotto (if you can’t find this use a couple of drops of orange bitters)

 
DIRECTIONS:

• Add ice to a cocktail shaker and then add mezcal, tequila, Cointreau, prickly pear simple syrup, lime juice and orange Vincotto. Shake to blend.
• Pour the beverage over a couple of solid ice cubes in a rocks glass and garnish with fresh or candied prickly pear.

 
* Prickly Pear or Xoconostle Simple Syrup
Note: Xoconostle is a specific type of prickly pear

• 1 pound of prickly pears or xoconostles (a species of prickly pear), cut into cubes
• 1 cup of water
• ½ cup of sugar (if using a sweeter variety of prickly pear, you may not need as much sugar)

Combine the water and sugar in a pan over high heat and cook until the sugar dissolves.  Add the prickly pear or Xoconostle chunks and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 15 -20 minutes until fruit is soft. Once the fruit is nice and tender use a potato masher and mash the fruit to release as much juice as possible. 

Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool. Strain the syrup into a container and use cheese cloth with the remaining fruit to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.  If making far in advance the simple syrup freezes well.