Grilled Swordfish
Pesce Spada alla Griglia
Region: Italy, Sicily
Category: Seafood-Grilled
Season: Summer
Difficulty: Easy but special equipment needed and long cooking and/or non-working time

This is the Sicilian grilled swordfish that all those returned travelers rave about. It is a simple favorite, and although there are many variations on the marinade, the result still depends on the quality of the swordfish. You don't have to go to Sicily to find that fabled swordfish– the best I ever had came from Wellfleet on Cape Cod one late August day. Although the photo shows the fish being served with spaghetti, that is not traditional as the spaghetti normally would be served before the fish.

[photo: Dennis M. Gottlieb, in Clifford A. Wright, Grill Italian]

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 4:20 hours

2 pounds swordfish steaks, sliced either 1 inch thick or 3/8 inches thick

Marinade 1:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Marinade 2:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the swordfish in a 9 x 12-inch ceramic or glass baking pan. Combine the ingredients for the marinade of your choice and pour over the swordfish. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 hours, turning once or twice. Remove the fish 15 minutes before grilling.

2. Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill for 15 minutes on high.

3. Remove the swordfish from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place the swordfish on the grill and cook, basting with the marinade, until deep black grid marks appear. Grill the 3/8-inch steaks 4 minutes on each side, and the thicker steaks 6 minutes on each side.

Variation: 

Variation 1: My friend Chef Carlo Middione, owner of the Vivande Ristorante in San Francisco, likes to roll thin swordfish slices up into cigar shapes and coat each slice with a mixture of 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, 4 very finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and salt to taste. He oils each slice before rolling, secures them with a toothpick and grills the rolls about 6 inches over a wood fire for 8 minutes.

Variation 2: Prepare the Sauce for Grilled Fish, Mixed Mayonnaise for Fish, and the Devil's Hot Sauce. Place a small dollop of each on a large individual dinner plate and serve with a 4-inch square of grilled swordfish and one of grilled shark.

Note: 

Posted: 12/30/2006

Referenced Recipes:

Devil's Hot Sauce

Mixed Mayonnaise for Grilled Fish or Chicken

Sauce for Grilled Fish