Grilled Swordfish in Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

People sometimes ask me where I get my inspiration for the recipes on this blog and the answer is, it comes from various sources, like family recipes, meals I eat in restaurants, and from other food bloggers. In this case, it came from Roz, who writes a wonderful blog called "La Bella Vita Cucina". She lives in South Carolina, but has family in Emilia Romagna, the same region where my mother was born and where I still have relatives.

Swordfish is one of my favorite seafoods but it's frequently overcooked by home cooks. It doesn't take long before it's dried out and tasteless. Roz' instructions to grill it for two minutes on each side are spot on. The fish will be perfectly moist and tender. 

Roz' recipe calls for smearing olive oil over the swordfish, but I also brush on some soy sauce, grated garlic and minced thyme. Let it sit for a few minutes, then dredge it in the bread crumbs and grill.

Don't worry if some of the breadcrumbs fall off on the grill. You're bound to lose some, even if you grease the grates.

 The delicious lemon caper sauce covers up any spots that stuck to the grill, and  delivers such a flavor punch, you'll be tempted to lick the plate.

See more of what goes in Ciao Chow Linda's kitchen on my Instagram feed. Just click here to connect with me there: Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram 

And for all you last minute wanna-be travelers to Italy: There are still a couple of spots available in  the memoir writing retreat Kathryn Abajian and I are leading in September in dreamy Lake Como. You don't have to have any writing experience, just a desire to learn. Come write, eat, and meander through Varenna - one of the most beautiful places on earth. You'll be lodged here at Villa Monastero, with gorgeous views of the lake and mountains, and world-famous gardens to explore. For more info, click here, on "Italy In Other Words."

Grilled Swordfish with Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

From "La Bella Vita Cucina" 

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• 8 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil


• 4 Swordfish Steaks, cut 1" thick


• 4 T. soy sauce


• a few sprigs of fresh thyme


• 1 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs


• 1 cup Italian-seasoned panko crumbs


• Garnish: Fresh-cut sprigs of Italian parsley


• Garnish: Sliced lemons


• Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce:


• 8 Tablespoons Olive Oil


• ½ stick of high quality butter


• ½ cup of heavy cream


• Juice of 1 medium-sized lemons


• Zest of 1 small lemon


• 1-½ cups minced fresh-cut Italian parsley


• 4 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped


• 4 Tablespoons fresh-cut oregano, finely chopped


• ½ small jar of capers (if salted, rinse thoroughly)

Instructions

1. Drizzle each swordfish steak with olive oil and spread the oil evenly over each steak on all sides. (I also drizzled some soy sauce on top and spread some minced garlic and thyme over it all)


2. Using a shallow mid-size bowl, pour in the Italian seasoned bread crumbs and panko crumbs.


3. Place each oiled swordfish steak onto the bread crumbs and panko crumbsand then turn over, making sure that the steak is covered on all sides.


4. Get the grill heated.


5. Prepare the sauce:


6. While grill is warming up, heat all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan.


7. Place on a very low simmer to keep the sauce warm while grilling the swordfish steaks.


8. Grill the steaks on a medium-low heat for 2 minutes on each side until the bread crumb coating is a nice gold-brown color.


9. The thicker the steak, the longer the time necessary to cook through, keeping in mind that the steaks should not be cooked to the point of being dry, but rather they should be moist and tender inside.


10. Pour a little bit (about a tablespoon) of the creamy lemon caper sauce on top of each steak.


11. Garnish with sprigs of fresh-cut Italian parsley and slices of lemons.


12. Pass the remainder of the sauce around to guests.