Grilling is one of the great ways you can prepare heart healthy fish. Swordfish can be purchased from your local fishmonger or trusted purveyor. Have them prepare one inch steaks for you to grill. If you choose to use charcoal that is fine as is any kind of wood you may prefer. Make sure to pre-heat your grill to a moderate heat before grilling. Adding some thick cut summer squash, zucchini or trumpet mushrooms lightly coated in olive oil and salt and pepper is also excellent with grilled swordfish. If you do purchase it with the skin on I suggest removing it prior to cooking as it can be tough and pretty overpowering.

If by chance you don’t really like swordfish or have a hard time finding it, never fear, you can substitute Ahi or yellowfin tuna steaks for this dish easily. 

• 4- 1″ thick Swordfish steaks between 6 and 8 ounces each
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 Tablespoon Chervil, minced 

 

• Mix olive oil, balsamic and garlic in a baking dish and add the swordfish steaks, coating well with the marinade. Store refrigerated for 30 minutes.
• Grill on medium or moderate heat over charcoals or wood for about 5 minutes on each side.
• Transfer to a serving platter and slather tapenade on top.

For the Tapenade:

• 1/4 cup olives of your choosing. I love pitted Greek olives for tapenade.
• 2 each anchovy fillets, rinsed of salt and oil
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained.
• Juice of 1 small lemon

In a blender of food process whir all ingredients together with about 1 tablespoon olive oil to create a thick paste.

You can add minced chervil and parsley to this at the end if you wish and it would be well accompanied by some wild mushrooms lightly sauteed in some olive oil with cracked pepper and sea salt.

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One of my favorite treats is a good sandwich. It has to be balanced though. A simple peanut butter sandwich is a perfect protein combination and is satisfying. So it is a classic. For me I like to do some work when I eat things. I don’t think it’s as fun if there isn’t much chewing or crunch or texture involved. That is why a good, grainy bread is ideal and especially if you are going to toast it. Spelt is a nutrient packed bread that is so wonderful when lightly toasted for a sandwich. And if you’re on the chicken part of your diet then adding a thinly cut grilled chicken breast is ideal to a nice meal. If not then you can always substitute with a soy based protein such as chick-patties. They come in frozen packs and are really tasty. Not authentically chicken-y but tasty and has a breading which makes them crunch, and therefore fun. I like to pair this with the lightly toasted spelt bread and ripe Bosc pears, thinly sliced, baby spinach and some thin slices of good, aged, sharp cheddar. Any firm cheese that is sharp or has a piquant flavor like Asiago or an aged goat cheese is fine too, it’s just good with cheddar. I love this with some thin carrot sticks and broccoli but some are so averse to eating raw broccoli that it’s just fine to lightly steam it until it’s al dente. A spritz of lemon or even some soy mayo is a good idea, either to dip your veggies in or to slather on the sandwich. But remember to use in Moderation! Too much of a good thing makes the diet useless.

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The best is Neapolitan thin pizza. Authentic and cooked at solar temperatures in a wood fire oven in less than three minutes. Since I am sure most of you don’t have this equipment at home, and I frankly don’t endorse trying to re-create it when there are tasty alternatives…here is an alternative. Flat bread pizza. Flat bread is a perfect foundation for some really tasty and quick pizzas that can be made in minutes. One of my favorite combinations is a grilled flat bread. Just grill it lightly and make some sun dried tomato-walnut pesto and smear it on. Then add sliced red or green grapes, sprinkle with thin chiffonade of fresh sage and basil and add some smoked mozzarella.

For the pesto :

• 5-6 sun dried tomatoes, soaked in warm water for 10-15 minutes and drained
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 Tablespoons each Pine nuts and Walnuts
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 3 Tablespoons + a teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Plop all in a food processor and whir while pouring in the olive oil. If it’s too sticky or thick add a little warm water with some fresh lemon juice in it until it’s pasty or a rough pesto consistency.

On your grilled flat breads, about 4, smear a tablespoon or a little more and lay on the grapes, sage, basil and mozzarella and pop in a 400 degree oven until all is melted and mixed.

You can also do what most good home cooks do and use whatever you have on hand. If you live up North right now is a great time to harvest that Rosemary growing in your yard and use it from potatoes, to pizza, pasta, salmon and the like. As well as fresh thyme. Holiday menus are popping up and you can definitely roast some veggies and add them to a flat bread pizza. Or just quarter and toast the flat breads in a 400 degree oven until crispy and use like chips for a ragout, a ratatouille, or hummus. You can also change it up a little and do some grilled chicken and cilantro with a pico de gallo and queso fresca, or if you prefer fresh buffalo mozzarella. Really get creative. Feeling like Asian pizza? Well grilled flat bread can handle some chili marinated prawns, grilled on a skewer and tossed with a little fish sauce, cilantro, mint and crushed peanuts! Just make a quick marinade of a few canned chipotles in adobo, 2 ounces tamarind puree, 1 onion minced, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, 2 Roma tomatoes charred under the broiler or on the grill, a tablespoon good fish sauce and the juice of one lime. Puree in a blender and if needed add a few tablespoons of water. Marinate for at LEAST 20 minutes then grill and chop fresh cilantro, roasted peanuts or cashews, about 2 tablespoons and toss together. If you want you can make a salsa to go on top even: 2 Tablespoons fish sauce, canned pineapple crushed, about 1/4 cup, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 1 Tablespoon basil chiffonade, pinch red pepper flakes, minced cilantro, minced mint (about 1 Tablespoon each), lime juice, a squeeze from half will do, and toss all that and let it marry together in the fridge for about an hour before you want to put it on the pizza. This salsa also is amazing with grilled seafood in general or over chicken!

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