I’m admittedly not a seafood person. It’s likely just because I didn’t grow up eating fish. Now, however, I’m married to a man from Turkey who swears he’d eat his own father if he came from the sea (joking of course). So I’m always on the lookout for seafood recipes that we can both enjoy. I saw this one today from Giada De Laurentis and wanted to share it. I adapted it a bit for my own taste. The fish is simply prepared and the pesto is chunkier than most, making for a lovely presentation that is light and perfect for the summer months. I’ve given directions to cook the fish indoors, but if you’ve got an outdoor grill, by all means, fire it up!
For this recipe you’ll need:
4 swordfish steaks (about 1-inch thick each)
¼ Cup Olive Oil to drizzle
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
For the Pesto:
1 clove of garlic
Approximately 3 cups (or 1 bunch) of fresh basil
¼ cup pine nuts (also called pignoli nuts)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ TB Kosher Salt
1 tsp. black pepper
½ Cup Olive Oil
½ Cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.
To Make the Swordfish:
Drizzle olive oil over both sides of fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated indoor grill pan (medium-high heat) and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until desired doneness.
Place on a platter
To Make the Pesto:
Combine all ingredients except cheese in food processor and pulse until combined and creamy. Fold in cheese with a rubber spatula.
To Plate:
Spoon pesto over each piece of fish and devour.
Tips:
Don’t move the fish after you’ve laid it in the grill pan. Let it cook for 4 minutes then turn it over. This prevents sticking and leaves lovely grill lines.