Lemon Pesto Swordfish

Mmmm. This was the best fish that I’ve made in quite some time. And it was so easy! I had a busy shopping night last night, so it was nice to have something that I could whip together so quickly. The swordfish is grilled, topped with pesto mixed with fresh lemon juice, and then sprinkled with pine nuts and lemon zest (though I took the photos before adding the zest…whoops!). The light and fresh flavor of the lemon went so well with both the fish and the pesto, and I love the really hearty flavor and texture of the swordfish in this meal. If you haven’t had swordfish before, it has a surprising heartiness, more like a steak than a fish. Served over a bed of whole wheat couscous, this was a delicious and healthy meal. Giada’s recipes never disappoint :)

Lemon Pesto Swordfish
Source: Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

I had some prepared pesto in the freezer, so rather than making Giada’s citrus pesto as listed in the recipe, I simply thawed 2 tablespoons of my pesto and added some lemon juice and zest. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

2 swordfish steaks
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons pesto
Squeeze of lemon juice, plus a sprinkle of lemon zest
1/8 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup whole wheat couscous

1.  Brush each side of the swordfish steaks with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Preheat a grill pan, and cook the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side. I used a George Foreman grill, and I simply cooked the fish for a total of 8 minutes.

2. While the fish is cooking, pour the pine nuts in a small sauce pan, and heat them over medium heat. Cook until the pine nuts are lightly toasted and browned, approximately 5 minutes. Mine were just a little too browned in this photo…I’d go a little lighter.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 cup of water to boiling in another sauce pan. When the water boils, turn off the heat. Add the couscous, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.

4. Mix a squeeze of lemon juice, to your preference, into the pesto.

5. Plate the swordfish over a bed of couscous. Brush each steak with 1 tablespoon of the lemon pesto. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and lemon zest, and serve.

Grilled Swordfish Taco Salads

I love tacos, and I love thinking of new ways to make them. A couple of my favorites are cilantro marinated tilapia tacos and chickpea/guacamole tacos…but more about those later. These swordfish taco salads were pretty tasty, too. B grilled the fish until it had a nice crust, and with the veggies and lime juice, it was a nice and refreshing summer meal.

Grilled Swordfish Taco Salads
Source: Original Recipe

2 swordfish steaks
Cumin
Paprika
Salt and Pepper
2 small limes
Tomatoes, chopped
Onion, finely chopped
Red pepper, chopped
Freshly shredded cheeses (I used cheddar and chihuahua)
Unsalted tortilla chips

1. Rub the swordfish steaks with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Squeeze the juice from half of a lime over the swordfish. Grill until cooked through and browned.

2. Shred the swordfish and serve over crushed tortilla chips with vegetables and cheeses, with the juice from 1-2 lime wedges squeezed over top.