Grilled Swordfish with Lemon-Basil Butter Recipe

Grilled swordfish has a full, meaty flavor that requires neither bold seasoning nor sophisticated marinades. Using little more than sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a little extra virgin olive oil, swordfish steaks produce great flavor with minimal effort. The following recipe for Grilled Swordfish with Lemon-Basil Butter nestles a thick, grilled swordfish steak atop an island of creamy, Parmesan potatoes, surrounded by a sea of fresh tomato broth. Grill marks and a lemon-basil butter topping further accent this easy-to-make seafood dish with a visually striking presentation.

Grilled Swordfish with Lemon-Basil Butter

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon quality extra-virgin olive oil

4 swordfish steaks, 6-8 ounces each, about 1 inch thick

Directions:

Preheat the grill. In a small bowl, combine the butter with the basil, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and refrigerate.

In a 9x13 Pyrex dish, whisk together the olive oil with the rest of the lemon juice. Sprinkle each swordfish steak with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the swordfish steaks in the dish, cover and refrigerate. After 5 minutes, turn the fish over in the olive oil-lemon juice mixture. Refrigerate for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Sear the swordfish steaks until grill marks form-- about 2 minutes. Turn the steaks 45 degrees (1/4 turn) and continue to grill for another 2 minutes. Flip the swordfish steaks over and repeat the grilling on the other side.

Using about 1 1/2 cups of Parmesan mashed potatoes, (recipe follows) create an island in the center of a each deep-rimmed plate. Carefully pour the tomato broth (recipe follows) onto the plate, creating a thin moat around the island of Parmesan mashed potatoes. Place one swordfish steak atop each island, making sure it rests flat. Immediately top the grilled swordfish steaks with a tablespoon of the lemon-basil butter.

Culinary Note: Among foodies, food snobs and well-trained chefs, it is generally considered a culinary faux pas to bring fish and cheese together on the same plate. There are, however, exceptions to the no-fish-and-fromage rule. For example, fish tacos are often paired with sharp cheddar and lobster ravioli blends beautifully with both Parmesan and ricotta. In this recipe, the meaty and peppery flavor of the grilled swordfish is perfectly complimented by the creamy Parmesan potatoes.

Creamy Parmesan Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 cups Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

Sea salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place diced potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cooking the potatoes until fork tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine milk, buttermilk and cream over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until warm. Add in the butter and continue to stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir until butter is completely melted.

Pour the milk mixture over the potatoes, add the Parmesan cheese and mash or blend together until potatoes reach desired consistency. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Divide the Parmesan mashed potatoes between four, deep-rimmed dining plates by placing a mound in the center of each-- creating an island about 2" high. Place one grilled swordfish steak on the top of each island of mashed potatoes, as described above.

Tomato Broth

1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped

2 cups water (spring water or filtered)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 shallots, finely diced (may substitute 1/4 small yellow onion)

2 teaspoons garlic, minced or puree

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1 pinch oregano

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Sea salt

Directions:

Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium heat; add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions have softened. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the herbs, tomatoes, tomato paste, sea salt and black pepper.

When mixture begins to boil, lower heat and simmer covered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the water. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Using an immersion (stick) blender, puree the tomato mixture until smooth. Season the tomato broth with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer the liquid to a measuring cup or other container with a pour spout. Follow the instructions above for pouring the tomato broth around the Parmesan mashed potatoes.

Simi, Sonoma County California Chardonnay

Simi Chardonnay of Sonoma County California proved the perfect pairing with our thick, meaty grilled swordfish steaks topped with lemon-basil butter. The 2005 vintage yielded notes of oak and vanilla-- a combination well suited to accentuate and compliment seafood in general-- and this dish in particular. The lemon-basil butter readily melts into the hearty, grilled swordfish steaks, providing a light and refreshing citrus flavor that's further echoed in the subtle lemon-zest notes inherent in the Simi chardonnay. For meaty, grilled swordfish with a hint of lemon, the Simi chardonnay pairing proved exceptional.