We enjoy fish several times a week, and dining on Grilled Marinated Swordfish Italian Style is like eating at an expensive restaurant. Marinating first then grilling is the perfect way to prepare and cook swordfish. The steaks turn out so flavorful and moist.
The marinade is quite easy to whip up. It just takes:
- a little bit of olive oil
- some fresh lemon juice
- balsamic vinegar
- fresh aromatic herbs
- garlic
- salt
- pepper.
These are staples we have on hand. Then to finish off the grilled marinated swordfish, we either squirt a tad of fresh lemon juice over the fish or add a small dollop of fresh pesto to the bottom of the plate then lay the fish on top.
Mamma's way of preparing fish
The fresh pesto was my mamma's way of finishing off her pesce alla griglia {grilled fish}.
Whenever mamma cooked, it was a ritual.
Grilling fish entailed firing up the hibachi and making a pesto with prezzemolo, aglio, e olio d'oliva {Italian parsley, garlic, and olive oil}.
Mamma had this old cutting board my papà made for her, and she used it so much the cutting board split down the center.
Well, being the frugal Italians that they were, papà just took two small pieces of wood and screwed them to one side of the cutting board.
Ecco just like new!!
How mamma made pesto
That small board got lots of use, believe me.
In this instance, mamma took several cloves of peeled garlic and started mincing. She sprinkled some salt over the garlic -- this adds friction so that she can mince the garlic until it's a paste.
Then she does the same to the parsley. She combined the two and then scraped the ingredients from the cutting board with her knife and slid the paste into a small bowl.
She whisked olive oil into the paste and finally to top it all off, she added a squirt of fresh lemon juice. Once she finished the pesto, it was time to grill the fish.
How to grill the fish
The hibachi served my parents well. The grill didn't use a lot of charcoal, and it was just right for our small family.
To start the grill mamma crumpled up newspaper on the bottom and added a handful of coals on top of the paper. She lit the paper and then let the old green fan I had in my bedroom fan the flames.
Those were the days when there was no central air or for that matter window units. We just relied on open windows and fans.
When I got married, that old green fan got relegated to hibachi starter 🙂
Finish the grilled marinated swordfish with pesto
One time, after mamma prepared the grilled marinated swordfish, I noticed my papà outside, with his hands clasped behind his back.
He was staring at the hibachi. "Papà," I said, "Tutto è pronto." {Everything is ready} He looked up at me, winked, then took his index finger and pointed to his forehead. Well, this I knew meant he had come up with some idea.
He was always coming up with ways and means to make things easier, better, more economical. Sometimes his ideas worked; sometimes they didn't.
What he thought up this time was a sheet metal lid that fit perfectly on top of the hibachi, smothering the live coals, so whatever charcoal was left could be used at another time.
He hated the thought of any charcoal going to waste.
We made this recipe for just the two of us, but Grilled Marinated Swordfish Italian Style can easily be doubled or tripled.
Next time you're ready to grill out fish, try our Mouthwatering Grilled Lime Marinated Halibut. The taste is amazing!
If you don't have a chance to grill your fish, another fabulous recipe is Broiled Parmesan Flounder. Even non-fish lovers will enjoy this seafood dinner. And for a special touch try our Herb Grilled Fish With Truffle Oil. For this grilled fish we used Pompano.
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima
More seafood recipes you'll enjoy
Cod With Mushrooms, Garlic, and Vermouth - a one-pan dish that features a rich sauce of mushrooms and vermouth over the seafood.
Jason's Pompano Grilled With Lime - a succulent fish with a rich buttery taste. Quick and easy to make the lime gives the seafood a fresh bright taste.
Shrimp Pasta Primavera - lots of delicious spring vegetables served with juicy shrimp and pasta.
Make seafood a regular weekly meal - there are many delicious recipes.
Grilled Marinated Swordfish Italian Style Recipe
📖 Recipe
Grilled Marinated Swordfish Italian Style
Ingredients
- 2 swordfish steaks - sliced no more that 1-inch thick
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage chopped fine
- ½ teaspoon salt or qb quanto basta to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper qb (quanta basta) to taste
- Fresh Italian parsley and lemon juice to finish.
Instructions
- Place swordfish steaks in a zip-lock bag, leaving the bag unsealed.
- In a small bowl, combine the 4 Tablespoons of olive oil and remaining ingredients to make the marinade.
- Pour the marinade into the bag with the fish, squishing the liquid around the fish until it is coated.
- Seal the bag, squeezing, to release as much air as possible.
- Marinate in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours and several times gently squeezing the bag so the marinade covers the fish.
- Spray the grill racks with vegetable spray.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the fish from the marinade.
- Once the grill is searing hot place the fish on the rack and grill on each side for 3 to 5 minutes or until center of steaks are cooked through and the fish flakes easily when forked. Do not overcook. Remember the fish continues to cook once it is off the grill
- Place the fish on a platter and squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon on top. Sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley.
Notes
- If you like you can make it like my mamma, put a small amount of pesto on the plate and put the fish on top. Drizzle a little bit of fresh lemon juice on top.
- Adapted from a MarthaStewartWannabe recipe of Grilled Italian Marinated Swordfish.
