Archives for posts with tag: swordfish

Last time I was 8 months pregnant the average temperature outside was 32 degrees. I felt pretty good, and my biggest complaint was that I didn’t always get a seat on the subway because I had to wear a big, winter coat which made it hard to tell that I was pregnant. Now, it’s a different story. It is hot and humid and I feel HUGE. I pretty much always get a seat on the subway, but I am exhausted!

Meanwhile, the markets are packed with produce and I am dying to cook. This week alone, I’ve picked up blueberries, cherries, nectarines, cucumbers, summer squash, tomatoes and even the first corn. It is awesome, but some nights after work I am just too tired to make anything. Fortunately, fruits and vegetables this time of the year are so delicious and fresh that you don’t have to do too much to enjoy them. Hopefully easy summer recipes will get me through the next few weeks!

Endless Bounty

The kitchen counter will look like this for the next few months.

Meal #1: Soy Lemon Skirt Steak with Arugula + Salted Potatoes
Meal #2: Swordfish Parmesan and Roasted Broccoli
Meal #3: Chicken Francese with Noodles + Roasted Asparagus
Meal #4: Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce + Sugar Snap Peas

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items: 

broccoli – 1 large head
shallot – 2
garlic – 1 head
lemons – 5
sugar snap peas – 1 lb.
cherries – 1 cup
arugula – 1 bunch
asparagus – 1 large bunch
potatoes – 1 1/2 pounds
rosemary – 1 bunch
eggs – 1 dozen
white wine
red wine
low-salt chicken broth – 1 cup
butter (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
garlic powder (if you don’t already have it)
capers (if you don’t already have it)
flour (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
butter (if you don’t already have it)
swordfish steaks (6-8 ounces per person), skin removed
skirt steak – 1 1/2 pounds
skinless, boneless, thin chicken breasts – 1 1/2 pounds
pork chops, bone-in – 1 per person, approx. 6-8 oz each

Well, this week wasn’t any calmer than last. That may be why three out of the four recipes I choose for this week include white wine! Obviously, something is on my mind…

I do love to cook with wine. Like lemon juice or butter a little bit adds a ton of flavor and in a snap you can make a sauce to accompany almost anything. One of my rules for cooking with wine, which I learned watching Mario Batali, is to always use a wine you would drink on its own. This is great advice not only because you want to treat your dish with respect and not ruin it with something that doesn’t taste good, but also because it is nice to have a glass of wine while you cook. You don’t have to use a $30 bottle, but don’t use those “cooking wines” you sometimes see at the grocery store. There are enough decent $10ish bottles around these days which will do the job nicely. Note, the alcohol burns off as you cook so kids can eat any of these dishes.

(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)

Meal #1: Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs + Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans
Meal #2: Swordfish Parmesan + Roasted Broccoli
Meal #3: Porchetta Pork Chops + Fennel with Shallots and White Wine
Meal #4: Chicken Piccata with Noodles + Green Salad

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

red or yukon gold potatoes – 6 medium
broccoli – 1 large head
green beans – 1 lb.
fennel – 2 large bulbs
shallot – 2
lemon – 4
lettuce – 1 head or bag
rosemary – 1 bunch
fennel seeds
noodles- 1 bag
eggs – 2
garlic (if you don’t already have it)
flour (if you don’t already have it)
capers (if you don’t already have it)
red pepper flakes (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – 4-8 (depending on the size)
bone-in pork chops – 4
thin chicken cutlets – 1 ½ lb.
swordfish steaks (6-8 ounces per person)
white wine

Swordfish Parmesan
Several years ago one of my Mom’s friends stopped by the house to give her this recipe, and a bag of freshly caught and cleaned swordfish steaks. This gesture wasn’t as unusual as it sounds since her friend is married to a deep sea fisherman and he had recently returned from a trip on the Atlantic Ocean with so much fresh fish there was some to spare.

My Mom and I were surprised by the flour/Parmesan coating, we usually prepared swordfish on the grill with some olive oil, salt and pepper; but we figured if it came from a fisherman’s wife it had to be good. Oh man! Because swordfish is a hearty piece of fish it can handle the coating and the sauce is amazing. You could make the sauce to accompany any other fish – sole, flounder, salmon, etc.

Swordfish Parm_Web

swordfish steaks (6-8 ounces per person), skin removed
1 cup of flour
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 TB. olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup white wine
1 shallot, chopped
2 TB. lemon juice
2 TB. capers
2 TB. butter

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour and Parmesan cheese together. Dip swordfish into the egg whites and then the flour/cheese mixture. Heat oil in a large pan until hot, but not smoking and then add swordfish. Saute fish on both sides until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Remove fish from pan and place on a baking sheet. Roast the fish in the oven for another 7-10 minutes, or until cooked through.

While the fish is roasting, pour off half of the oil from the pan and add the white wine, shallot, lemon juice, and capers. Whisk sauce over a medium-low heat until it is reduced by half. Turn off the heat and add the butter, whisking until it is incorporated into the sauce.

Serve the swordfish with the sauce over it.

Roasted Broccoli
IMG_0960_web

1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 TB. olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss broccoli in olive oil and salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes.