Article by Christine Budd
GRILLED VEGETABLES AND SWORDFISH KABOBS
Ingredients:
Kabobs -
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for oiling the grill grates
1 tablespoon grated garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds swordfish, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 to 6 mini bell peppers of varying colors
1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces, ends kept on
1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Garlic Aioli -
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
8 pieces pita or naan, toasted on the grill
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions:
For the kebabs:
Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, ginger, lemon zest and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Put the swordfish in a large bowl. Put the peppers, onions, zucchini and tomatoes in another large bowl. Evenly divide the olive oil mixture between the two bowls and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
For the garlic aioli:
While the kebabs marinate, whisk together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, cilantro, parsley, garlic, mustard, vinegar and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
When the fish and vegetables are ready, preheat a grill over medium-high heat. (If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling.)
Meanwhile, thread the swordfish onto six 12-inch skewers. Thread the peppers, onions, zucchini and tomatoes onto individual skewers.
Brush the grill grates with oil. Place the kebabs on the grill, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill until lightly charred and grill-marked and the swordfish is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
To serve, spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of garlic aioli on top of each pita. Place the swordfish and vegetables on top, drizzle with more garlic aioli, and sprinkle with cilantro and parsley.
FALL CRAB BISQUE
Ingredients:
1 lb. Crab meat (reserve some to top individual portions if desired)
3 stalks celery, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 stick of butter
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. Phillips Seafood Seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
5 c. pureed pumpkin
3 c. vegetable or chicken broth
8 oz. whole cream
Directions:
Sauté onion and celery with butter, then as it starts to melt, add bay leaf, cumin, red pepper, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper.
Add pumpkin, broth and crab meat, then bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
Turn down heat to low and stir in cream to warm throughout.
Top each portion with reserved crab meat if desired and serve while hot with warm French bread.
PROSCIUTTO ROASTED SEA BASS WITH AUTUMN VEGETABLES
Ingredients:
2 cups peeled, seeded, and (1/2-inch) diced butternut squash
2 cups peeled and diced Yukon Gold (½-inch) potatoes
2 cups peeled and diced (½-inch) parsnips (~3 parsnips)
2 cups peeled and diced carrots (½-inch) (~6 carrots)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
6 (8-ounce) skinless fish fillets such as striped bass or halibut
6 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
For the vegetables, place the butternut squash, potatoes, parsnips, and carrots on a sheet pan and drizzle with 1/3 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss together. Spread out in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes, turning once during cooking. After 30 minutes, toss with the garlic and roast for another 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and starting to brown.
Meanwhile, line another sheet pan with aluminum foil, and place a baking rack on top of the foil. Brush the fish fillets on both sides with olive oil and season them liberally with salt and pepper. Wrap each fillet with a slice of prosciutto to form a wide band around the center of the fillet, overlapping the ends on the skin side. Arrange the fillets on the rack with the prosciutto seam side down and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until barely cooked.
While the vegetables and fish are roasting, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-size saute pan. Add the rosemary sprigs and cook over low heat until the rosemary leaves are crisp and the butter begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary, stir in the lemon juice, and set aside.
To serve, place the fish on a platter or individual plates, spoon the rosemary butter on top, and surround with the vegetables. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve hot.
BROILED FLOUNDER WITH BLACK WALNUT GREMOLATA
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) black walnuts
2 lemons
1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) olive oil
1/2 cup (1 oz./30 g) packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 fresh thyme sprigs
4 flounder, sole or other mild white fish fillets, each about 6 oz.
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C).
Spread the walnuts evenly on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Position an oven rack so that it is at least 8 inches (20 cm) from the heating element and preheat the broiler.
Grate the zest from the lemons. In a food processor, combine the lemon zest, olive oil, parsley, garlic and 1/4 tsp. salt and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the walnuts and pulse until finely chopped. You want the mixture to retain some small walnut pieces, but there should be no large chunks remaining.
Squeeze the juice from 1 of the lemons into a broiler-proof baking dish. Add the butter and thyme to the dish and transfer to the oven until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Dip each fillet in the lemon-butter mixture to coat both sides, then arrange the fillets in the baking dish. Top each with an even coating of the walnut mixture, completely covering the top of each fillet. Transfer to the oven and broil until the fish just begins to flake when you press on it but is still translucent, 6 to 8 minutes; be careful not to overcook the fish.
Using a spatula, transfer the fillets to individual plates and spoon the lemon-butter mixture from the dish over the top. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and serve alongside the fish for squeezing on top if desired. Serves 4.
