This is a favorite summertime, grilled recipe that I have also adapted to indoor cooking because I needed to enjoy this wonderful dish all year round. I have to admit that it is best when the fish is lightly charred from the grill, but this marinade can transform a broiled piece of fish in minutes. As I have admitted before, as long as we can shovel a path to our outdoor gas grill, we are outside with coats and hats on, grilling. But when we can’t, I have successfully broiled the swordfish, and it is still a fabulous meal. While we still have some beautiful weather, why not give this a try on the grill, but I feel quite certain that you’ll also want to enjoy it all year long.

This recipe for “pesce spade alla menta e balsamico” comes out of Biba Caggiano’s cookbook, “Trattoria Cooking.” Biba Caggiano rose to fame in the 1990s as an Italian cookbook author, cooking show host and restaurateur.   My sister gave me this cookbook as she was a fan of Biba’s and had already tried many of the recipes in the book. I have tried so many over the years, and they are indeed all delicious and simple.   However, the one that we (my sister and I) constantly go back to, is this swordfish recipe. Whether it’s the light second dish, after a plate of pasta, or standing on it’s own with a vegetable and salad, it’s just perfect, time after time. When I pull this book off my shelf, it automatically opens to this page. The binding is actually broken at this page…..that’s how many times I’ve made this recipe. The pages are stained, which oddly makes me very happy.    It reminds me that this “pesce spade” dish has been enjoyed by many friends and family members, and I’m sure it will be enjoyed by many more to come.

Buon Apetito!

RECIPE:  serves 4

2 pounds of swordfish…can be 4 steaks at half pound each, or 2 larger steaks

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

7 fresh mint leaves, shredded

salt to taste

1 clove garlic, finely minced…..(I use 2 cloves)

1.  Preheat the grill well ahead of time….preheat broiler as well.
2. Brush the fish with a bit of olive oil and place it on the hot grill.
3. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, of course depending on thickness of steaks.
4. While the fish is cooking, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the balsamic vinegar and mint and season with a bit of salt.  Cook just long enough to heat up the sauce.
5. Just before removing the sauce from the heat, stir in the garlic.
6. Place the grilled fish on serving plates, and spoon the warm sauce over.  Serve at once.