Swordfish Pasta

Swordfish Pasta 

There comes a time when you must stop and listen to your own body.  Last year was a difficult year for me, physically, and while I am tougher than an old boot, as my dad would say about our family, I have come to realize that I am at that age -- old -- when I must make some drastic changes to my life. It is perilous to one's mentality when you receive more facebook friend requests and twitter follows from AARP and Humana than from actual friendly people. That's me, right now.  Even more so, I have come to the realization that my body does not function the way it did in my 40s, 30s and 20s and younger. I have determined that I need to change my diet so as to help my body metabolize, process and absorb nutrients and vitamins in a different way on a molecular level.  In other words, I need to eat differently.  Does that mean I am going to stop eating burgers and tacos and pizza and the foods I truly love?  Heck no!  But I do not cook extravagantly every day, especially when I am working, and I eat for convenience more often than for health.  That must be changed now:  I am eating for the fun and the health of it.  You will see more healthy recipes from me these days, interspersed with some decadent recipes.  

That was a lot, and Thank You for bearing with me. To start this journey of change and fun, I have prepared a dish that is all new for me:  Fish!  I have never been a big fish eater.  Trout has too many bones.  Salmon I love, but expensive.  Swordfish has always been my favorite; it does not have that fishy smell that other fishes do at market.  Here is a pasta recipe I created with swordfish and fresh vegetables and fresh herbs. Healthy, flavorful and natural. Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

2 - 4 small swordfish fillets, cubed

1 pint mixed baby tomatoes

1/2 red onion, slivered

3 cloves garlic, sliced + 1 smashed

6 fresh basil leaves, plus garnish

several sprigs fresh thyme

lemon zest and juice and juice of half lemon*

parmesan cheese, shaved

garlic and lemon infused extra virgin olive oil*

salt and pepper

2 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning

This is such an easy recipe, you will love it. The downside?  Dishes. One pot and one large skillet are needed, tongs, colander and whatever else you feel the need to use. But it is flavorful and the textures, aromas, tastes create a happy party in your mouth. 

Prep is the name of the game here. Cut off the skin and cube the swordfish.  Prep the herbs, onion and garlic. The tomatoes can go in whole, and that is the idea. As they simmer, many of them will pop and release amazing flavor. 

If you do not have lemon and/or garlic infused evoo, add four tablespoons of evoo to a cup.  Add lemon zest and a smashed garlic clove to the oil and let it infuse for thirty minutes prior to using.* 

This is a great video but it won't play, I do not think. However, the cubed swordfish is featured here.  

Next, add four quarts of water to the large pot. Start to bring it to a boil.  Once this recipe gets going, it goes quickly!

Meanwhile, in the large skillet, add the evoo, flavor infused or  not, over medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper to the swordfish, all sides. When the oil begins to ripple, add the swordfish.  Do not stir it up. Allow the fish to form a caramelized crust; about three minutes.  Then, using tongs, flip and cook three minutes more.  The fish will not be done, but remove it to a plate and set aside. Now add the onion and half of the garlic. Saute without adding salt and pepper, as it is already in the skillet, for three minutes. Next, add the tomatoes and nestle them into the onions and garlic. Add several tender sprigs of fresh thyme and some tender fresh oregano.  

At this point, add a quarter cup of water, the dried Italian seasoning and simmer for ten minutes over medium-low heat. 

By now the pasta water should be at a roiling boil.  Liberally salt the water - yup, it is the only chance you get to season the pasta - and add as much pasta as you need to feed your family or friends. Or both!  I did not use much as it was only me. Boil about twelve minutes, and check strands for doneness. The boxes say to cook till "al dente", almost done, but I want it cooked through.  

Tear some of the basil and add it to the skillet as the onion begin to soften and the tomatoes begin to pop.  The aroma will make you swoon!

When the pasta is done, strain but retain about a quarter cup of the starchy pasta water in a cup. Add three tabs of butter to the large pasta pot along with the rest of the garlic, reducing the heat to low. Nothing smells better than garlic and butter, right?  Add the swordfish now along with the reserved pasta water, the tomato, onion and herb saute, all of it, to the pot. Pour the pasta atop the swordfish and veg herb saute and toss with the butter and garlic thoroughly. The heat from the pasta water, the hot moist pasta and the veg mixture will finish the swordfish through and provide added flavor. The moisture will dissipate as you toss it over medium-low heat for three or four minutes. 

Garnish with fresh basil and thyme. 

Serve family style or singularly or even in a bowl.  No need for sides with this, if you do not want!  It pretty much has a great serving of vegetables and healthy protein with a sauceless pasta.  For an even healthier dish, use rice pasta instead of semolina pasta. 

You can see the crust on the swordfish cubes. That is true flavor, and the fish absorbs the flavors of the tomatoes, onion and garlic and herbs, just as the pasta will.  The butter adds a lovely sheen to the dish and the flavors it picks up as you toss it.  

As always, my friends, Thank You for your time and consideration!  I hope you try this dish and send me your thoughts!  Make it your own!  Add, take away, make it your own! That is the fun of cooking and following a recipe. You can do what you wish with it!

With that, NOW, Go Cook For Someone You Love!

~Martin

In-House Cook