Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Herbs, herbs on everything. That’s been the mantra lately, out of necessity (but also appetite for fresh, bold flavors). Last night it was something like this pork noodle salad from NYT Cooking. The night before it was magic green chicken Nom Nom Paleo-style. But even before that—when the weekend was still young—it was this grilled swordfish with fresh herb sauce.

Need a side? Slice zucchini lengthwise (I know you have plenty of zucchini!), brush with EVOO, salt, and toss on the grill. The herb sauce in this recipe (which you will have plenty of) goes great with grilled veggies, too. Simple white rice adds bulk but also soaks up extra juices—a welcome addition!

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Published August 20, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 pound sword fish fillet

10-12 Shishito peppers (optional)

Large pinch of salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Sprinkle of cracked black pepper

Herb sauce:

1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (I use a mix of equal parts parsley, thai basil, mint, and oregano)

1 shallot

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Directions:

1. Light a grill and set to high. Close lid and allow grill to heat.
2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut the fish cubes (about 1-2 inches each).
3. Skewer fish pieces, along with shishito peppers if using. Sprinkle with salt, and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
4. Use a brush to coat fish with olive oil, covering both sides. Then, zest lemon over fish, and sprinkle with pepper.
5. Place fish on hot grill, and cook for 3 minutes on each side, with the grill lid closed.
6. While fish cooks, make the fresh herb sauce: mince the shallot, and place in a small bowl with lemon juice. Mince herbs, and add to bowl, along with salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Pour enough olive oil into the bowl to coat all of the herbs. Stir.
7. When fish is done cooking, remove from heat and set on serving plates. Spoon herb sauce over top, and serve hot.

Fried Fish with Lemon-Butter Sauce

There is nothing fancy about fried fish drizzled with lemon and butter—but it can look (and taste) awfully nice topped with capers and sitting next to a fresh salad (or yeah, crispy potatoes 😋). Start with a white, flaky, mild fish like barramundi or cod. Fillets should be less than 1/2-inch think, because the cooking goes fast! This recipe can be gluten-free or -full, use which ever flour (and breadcrumbs) your prefer. Opt for breadcrumbs rather than panko; it just works better. Use plenty of oil in the pan, and let it get hot enough. Best when eaten right away! (Though if there are leftovers, try heating the fish in a toaster oven, which will keep it crispy).

Fried Fish with Lemon-Butter Sauce

Published May 14, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the fish:

4 thin white fish fillets (such as barramundi or tilapia)

Sprinkle of salt

1/4 cup measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend (or regular AP flour)

1 egg

1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs - such as Schar (or regular bread crumbs)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

For the lemon-butter sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

2-3 tablespoons capers

Directions:

1. Sprinkle each fillet of fish with salt.
2. Whisk egg in a bowl until frothy. Place flour on one plate and bread crumbs on another.
3. Working with one fish fillet at a time, lightly coat each fillet in flour, and then dip in egg. Roll in bread crumbs, and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place fillets in oil (if oil dies not sizzle, it is not hot enough). Cook fish for 3-4 minutes on the first side, and then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Fish should be golden on the outside and opaque all the way through. Remove from heat.
5. Place butter and garlic in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium-low. When butter is melted, remove from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, along with capers, and stir.
6. Place fish on serving plates and spoon lemon-butter sauce over each fillet.

Roasted Trout with Lemon & Rosemary

My first (and maybe my last?) fishing pole was a Mickey Mouse fishing pole.

With a conviction to teach his daughter where food came from, my dad took me fishing when I was young. I remember catching a fish just once, but remember at least several meals while camping that my dad had caught on a hook.

In Colorado our fishing access is limited to creeks and reservoirs (there are a few lakes, but they are tiny, some would call them ponds). It seems it is always trout, though I really know nothing about fishing, so I could be wrong. But what I know is that many a meal was served to me as a kid, where a whole trout was seasoned and roasted. I struggled to learned how to separate the meat from the bones in one fell swoop, usually picking them out one by one. 

I know that seeing the whole fish is off putting to some— I don’t blame you. But to me, it’s part of the experience. It says something about that dish; makes it feel “more,” like maybe your dad caught the fish himself.

Fresh, trout can have a quite mild flavor. It’s meat is flakey and delicate, and pairs well with a spritz of lemon, a side of potatoes, and fresh herbs. 

It feels like a hallmark of summer to me: a sign that the creeks are gushing and full of life, a part of camping season, and best enjoyed with other fresh summer finds, like rosemary. 

Roasted Trout with Lemon & Rosemary

Published June 26, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Yields: 2-4   |    Active Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 whole trout, dedressed 

1 lemon, sliced

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 springs rosemary 

2 tablespoons avocado oil

3 cups diced red potatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced potatoes and minced garlic in olive oil. Spread out on a sheet pan, and sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Then, bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are just starting to turn golden on the outside.
2. Meanwhile, season each fish with the remaining salt & pepper. Then, place half of the lemon slices and 1 sprig of rosemary in the cavity of each fish. If desired, tie the fish closed with twine.
3. After the potatoes have cooked for 30 minutes, push them to either side of the baking sheet to make room for the fish. Place each fish on the pan, and return pan to oven for 20 minutes, or until meat is opaque and easily flakes when pricked with a fork. Potatoes should also be tender all the way through when pricked with a fork. Serve hot.