Swordfish Skewers With Cilantro Mint Pesto Food

SWORDFISH KEBABS WITH MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Put the fish cubes in a bowl. Soak eight 8-inch wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto: Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the mint, parsley and lemon zest and pulse until finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and whisk in the olive oil; loosen with 1 tablespoon water, if needed. Season the pesto with salt, pepper and the red pepper flakes, if using. Pour about one-third of the pesto over the swordfish and toss to evenly coat. Reserve the remaining pesto for serving. Refrigerate the swordfish for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium high. Skewer 3 or 4 chunks of swordfish on each skewer. Grill, turning once, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drizzle the skewers with the reserved pesto and serve with lemon wedges.

SWORDFISH WITH CITRUS PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, zests, juices, salt, and pepper in a food processor until the mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan.
• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush both sides of the swordfish fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a 1-inch thick fillet.
• Transfer the grilled swordfish to serving plates, top with the citrus pesto, and serve.

ROSEMARY-SKEWERED SWORDFISH KEBABS

Steps:

• Pour 1/4 cup oil into a wide, shallow, nonreactive dish. Stir in the lemon and orange zests, 1/2 tablespoon of the thyme and all but 1 tablespoon of the chopped rosemary. Add the swordfish to the marinade and turn to coat the fish completely. Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
• Preheat gas grill to high or prepare a charcoal grill, letting the coals burn until white ash is visible. Remove the swordfish from the marinade, brushing off any solids. Skewer the fish pieces with the rosemary branches (about 4 pieces per branch). Season each kebab with salt and pepper. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook, turning as needed, until cooked through, approximately 4 minutes total.

GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH PESTO-LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the swordfish and the olive oil for grilling, and process until coarsely chopped.
• Rub the swordfish with olive oil, and grill on both sides until cooked, following the Canadian rule: measure at thickest point, and allow 8 to 10 minutes to the inch, turning once. Serve topped with the pesto-lemon-caper sauce.

SWORDFISH SKEWERS WITH ESCOVEITCH TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the Scotch bonnet half with the onion, allspice, bay leaf, vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil.
• Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 30 minutes; strain the vinegar into a medium bowl and let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water.
• Blanch the chayote and carrot in the boiling water just until crisp-tender, about 1 minute.
• Drain and transfer to the bowl of ice water.
• Drain and squeeze dry, then pat dry.
• Add the chayote and carrot to the vinegar along with the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper.
• Mince the remaining Scotch bonnet half and add it to the sauce.
• Light a grill.
• Loosely thread the swordfish on 6 pairs of skewers.
• Thread the tomatoes on single skewers.
• Lightly brush the fish and tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill over moderately high heat, turning as necessary, until lightly charred and just cooked through, about 4 minutes for the tomatoes and 7 minutes for the swordfish.
• Transfer the skewers to a platter and pass the sauce at the table.
• ** WINE: Swordfish, while meaty, is not an oily fish so it can pair well with light reds and rosés, as well as whites (as can other similar fish). Try opening a chilled rosé from California with Thompson's skewers-it's a great outdoor, summertime combination. Two to look for are Bonny Doon Vineyard's strawberry-scented 2007 Vin Gris de Cigare or the crisp 2006 Terre Rouge Vin Gris d'Amador.

BASIL-MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Chop the basil, mint and nuts coarsely. Add them along with the Parmesan cheese and garlic to a food processor.
• Gradually add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until pesto is well-blended.
• Transfer to bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover tightly and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Yield is estimated.