Saturday, July 12, 2014

Southeast Asian swordfish skewers


The summer grilling extravaganza doesn’t necessarily have to equal a ton of burgers and hot dogs...fish is a wonderful thing to throw over the outdoor flames.  However, it can be tricky to perfect, which is why I love to use a hearty, steak-y variety like swordfish (mahi mahi or wahoo work well, too).  It’s much more forgiving than some of the more delicate types and is actually kind of hard to mess up - just resist the temptation to overcook it!  Fish will always continue to cook a couple minutes after you pull it off the grill, so it may feel like you are being premature, but trust me...knowing this will give you nicely cooked, moist fish every time.

I looove this southeast Asian marinade (it would be great on chicken or pork, too).  It’s super flavorful and it blends up in minutes.  This meal is healthy, lean protein, low fat  AND and a beautiful presentation…the perfect meal for your summer evening!


Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds swordfish - skin removed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 T. lemongrass - tender inner stalks, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
1 T. ginger - roughly chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
1 t. soy sauce
1 t. fish sauce
2 T. rice wine vinegar
2 t. sambal oelek (raw Asian chili paste)
1/2 c. cilantro - roughly chopped

kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
2 limes - halved
Aleppo pepper (optional)

In a mini food processor or blender, combine the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, olive oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, sambal oelek, and cilantro.  Blend until smooth.

Place swordfish in a medium glass bowl.  Pour marinade over fish, cover, and place in refrigerator for at least one hour, up to 3 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat your grill on high for at least 10 minutes.  Thread fish onto skewers leaving a little space between pieces of fish.  Season liberally with kosher salt & pepper. (note: if using bamboo skewers, soak them in water at least a half hour before using)

Turn grill heat to medium high and oil grill grates.  Place fish on grill and cook, with lid closed, a total of 6 minutes, rotating every couple of minutes to cook evenly.  While cooking fish, place lime halves, cut side down, on grill and cook 3-4 minutes, without moving, until grill marks appear.

Remove fish and limes from grill. To serve, squeeze limes over fish & sprinkle with Aleppo pepper, if desired.

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