Fish and Seafood

Ever wish you had a recipe that is company-worthy, requires only a handful of ingredients, can be made ahead, and can be served at room temperature. Look no further than:

Grilled Swordfish with Heirloom Tomatoes, Oregano, and Pine Nuts.

I am a great fan of swordfish. Like steak it has an umami taste. If you are not familiar with the term, umami is considered the fifth basic taste. It was discovered in the early 20th century – the four basic tastes: sweet; sour; salt, and bitter have been known for millennia. Umami is described as savory and mouth-watering. It can be found in many foods but is most often identified with a thick juicy steak.

Since swordfish are large, It is usually sold as steaks. The meat is relatively firm, and can be cooked in ways more fragile types of fish cannot (such as over a grill or on skewers). As opposed to fish fillets, which are cut parallel to either side of the spine, fish steaks are cut perpendicular to the spine and tend to offer a thicker, more substantial serving.

This is a great dish for a summer dinner party or potluck. It goes well with pasta salad, Caesar salad, grain salads, roasted vegetables and of course grilled corn.

INGREDIENTS

•  ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill
•  2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 4 5 – 6-ounce pieces of swordfish steak, about 1” thick
• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
•  ¼ cup red wine vinegar
•  2 tablespoons drained capers, finely chopped (I often leave them whole depending on their size)
•  1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano, plus 2 sprigs for serving
•  ½ teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS

For the Marinade

We normally think of a marinade as something we use prior to cooking to flavor or soften a protein. In this recipe the marinade is added at the end and serves as a sauce.

Whisk vinegar, capers, chopped oregano, honey, and ½ cup in a small bowl to combine. Set aside.

For the Platter

Cut the tomatoes crosswise into thick slices. Sprinkle with salt. If heirlooms are not available, use other meaty ripe tomatoes, such as beefsteak.

For the Fish

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill
Pat swordfish dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes
Rub swordfish all over with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and grill, undisturbed until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes. The fish is ready to turn when you can easily release it from the grill. Carefully turn it over and cook for another 4 minutes or until the fish looks opaque. I test for doneness with a thermometer.

To Plate the Dish

Place the fish on top of the tomatoes and top with oregano sprigs. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper as needed. Pour the reserved marinade over the dish and let rest at least 15 minutes and up to an hour. Just before serving sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.

When I was growing up in Queens New York during the 1950s,  the only Asian food available to me was Chinese, specifically Cantonese.  Fast forward to now, I live in Washington DC where restaurants and shops from different Asian countries abound. Chinese is the most ubiquitous and the offerings go far beyond Cantonese, but Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese are also very popular.

Among these Vietnamese is my favorite. This recipe comes from  Into The Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen.  Vietnamese cuisine uses a lot less oil and many more herbs and spices than Chinese and is not as spicy as Thai. Because Vietnam was occupied by multiple  countries over the centuries its cuisine includes elements from all of them. China dominated Vietnam for centuries so it isn’t surprising that it had the most influence. This recipe was given to the author’s family by a Chinese friend.

Rice is the staple of the Vietnamese diet. Jasmine rice is the preferred type. It is aromatic and has a flowery and sweet bouquet. It is also slightly sticky.

One thing that sets Vietnamese cuisine apart is its use of whole sprigs of fresh herbs, soft lettuce and cucumber slices. It accompanies many dishes. Popular herbs used in Vietnamese cooking are: cilantro; Thai basil (or sweet basil if not available); lemongrass and garlic chives.

This recipe has lots of guest appeal. It is prepared in a bamboo steamer which can be brought to the table. Most steamers have a second tray into which you can put a vegetable: spinach; baby bok choy, or peapod leaves (which is my favorite). When plated the vegetables will soak up some of the sauce.

The sauce includes sugar, pepper, scallions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and as the name of this dish implies, garlic and ginger. These aromatic seasonings combine with the salmon juices to create a wonderful flavor that adds dimension to the taste of the fish and the accompanying rice.

Note: You can use salmon steaks or fillets to make this dish. I like to use the steaks because they add an element of surprise since fillets are so ubiquitous. Striped bass is a good substitute, but you will lose the beauty of the salmon’s rich pink color.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely shredded
• 3 scallions, green part only, chopped

For the salmon

• 1 scallion, white part only, cut lengthwise into strips
• 1 1/4 pounds salmon fillet, cut crosswise into 2 pieces
• 4 sprigs cilantro

Directions

For the sauce

1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, pepper, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the oil into a small saucepan, and turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the ginger and cook until it is also fragrant, about one minute. Pour in the sauce, stir well, and wait for it to come to a boil. Then add the scallions, turn off the heat, and stir to combine. Set aside.

For the salmon

1. Fill a large pot with a steamer tray halfway up with water, and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, find a heatproof plate or nonreactive plate or pie pan that will hold the salmon fillets and will also fit in the steamer tray with about 1 inch left around the edges.
3. Toss half of the white scallion strips into the pan, and then place the salmon fillets on top. Pour the sauce on top of the salmon.
4. Transfer the pan to the steamer tray. Cover the pot, and cook until fish is cooked, 8 to 10 minutes. A knife should be able to be inserted into the thickest part of the flesh easily. When done, turn off the heat.
5. Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with the remaining scallion strips and the cilantro.
6. Carefully pick up the plate from the steamer and bring it to table.

Serves 4 – 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes