Fish for Dinner: Sicilian Grilled Swordfish with Greens

Sicilian Grilled Swordfish with salad greens on top -- it's the perfect summertime meal!

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.

The Occasion: Summertime supper. When it’s way too hot to turn on the oven or even the stovetop, fire up the grill and turn to this recipe instead. It’s just grilled fish with a salad piled on top, but this dish is so much more than the sum of its parts. Fresh, high-quality ingredients + easy to cook + no steamy kitchen = Pure summertime bliss!  

The Playlist: Here’s a musical mix to set the mood while you prepare the dish (or while reading this blog post). Neither long nor short, this playlist is right-sized just like the recipe – it comes together in a quick and satisfying way. Enjoy!

The Recipe: Ina Garten - everyone’s favorite TV chef – includes this recipe for Sicilian Grilled Swordfish in her excellent cookbook "Barefoot Contessa Foolproof" (Clarkson Potter 2012). Ina’s devoted fan club, of which I am a longtime member, appreciates the way she looks out for home cooks, saving us time and unnecessary steps while always prioritizing deliciousness.

As Ina likes to say, “How bad can that be?”

What Makes It Special? It’s the marinade/dressing, which goes onto the fish after it comes off the grill. ​When the warm fish absorbs those lemony, garlicky flavors – awww yeah! 

Serve With: Rice pilaf, toasted quinoa, or roasted potatoes would be nice to accompany the fish and salad. Maybe also a glass of crisp white wine? Yum. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: This is a perfect meal – lean protein well-prepared, leafy green deliciousness, and a zesty marinade to pull it all together. Give this one a try -- I’m pretty sure you’ll seek out Sicilian Grilled Swordfish with Greens more than once this summer. Good for you!

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Sicilian Grilled Swordfish with Greens
Recipe source: Ina Garten via Food Network
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 (1/2-inch-thick) swordfish steaks (5 to 6 ounces each)
• 4 ounces baby arugula or other salad greens
• Grated zest of 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

• Light a charcoal grill or preheat a gas or stovetop grill until very hot.
• For the sauce, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
• When the grill is ready, sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on one side, then turn and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side until almost cooked through.
• Remove to a flat dish, prick holes in the fish with the tines of a fork, and pour the lemon sauce over the fish while it is still hot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• When ready to serve, place the swordfish on dinner plates or a serving platter, pile the arugula on top, drizzle with the sauce from the fish, and sprinkle with the grated lemon zest. Serve warm. 

What is your favorite summertime meal to cook on the grill? Let us know in the Comments, please!