Grilled Swordfish with Mango and Avocado Salsa

During the summer months I love grilling as many of my meals as possible. Chicken, steak, veggies, fish... you name it, my family is grilling it. And now that school is in full swing and the kids are in classrooms all week, it’s even more motivating for me to get us all outside in the fresh air. Grilling a quick and healthy dinner on a perfect fall evening is the best way to bond as a family after a long day.

This summer, I experimented a lot with lighter proteins like fish on the grill. I had great success and plan on tweaking the recipes as the autumn temps decline. Grilled fish has incredible flavor and is extremely healthy and light...so I try to include it in my family's year-round diet a couple of times a week, if possible. When choosing a fish for grilling it's important to consider how firm or sturdy it is. Grilling fish may be a bit trickier than meat or poultry, so save the delicate white flakey fillets of sole, tilapia and flounder for baking and roasting. Stick with a firm, hearty fish, like Swordfish, Salmon, Tuna, Snapper, Halibut and Mahi Mahi for the outdoor grill.  
 
Swordfish definitely is my favorite type of fish for grilling! It's a mild-tasting, firm, meaty fish that holds up great on the grill. You can cook it as a steak-cut or cube it and skewer it. Swordfish is very firm (which also means you'll get great grill marks) and tastes great with a simple, seasoning such as with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. I paired swordfish with a flavorful and colorful salsa, which will take your mood from summer into fall. 
 
To get started on this swordfish and salsa recipe, I made another friendly visit to see my very knowledgeable and reliable (favorite) Fishmonger Scott Bennett at the Rowayton Seafood Market. As always, the swordfish steaks that he cut for me were so very fresh. My swordfish had just arrived from Montauk, Long Island. Not only is swordfish a nutrient-dense and oily fish (the good kind of oils like Omega-3s), but I learned it has only 165 calories in 1 piece of swordfish with about 5 grams of fat, zero carbs and 27 grams of protein...who knew? Great information for those who are watching their carbs!
 
Every time I visit the Rowayton Seafood Market, I discover even more types of fish that they sell—everything from rainbow trout, to golden tile fish, to wild caught sockeye salmon and sea bass. When I stopped in, Chef Zach was making an incredible smelling lobster bisque and Scott was marinating his top-secret (he wouldn't give me the recipe) dry-rub baby-back ribs... which he slow cooks to perfection. There's definitely a very nice variety to choose from at this market. You just have to check in (you can call (203) 838-7473 and see what’s available on a specific day. While the weather is still great, you can even take the kids for some fried clams, shrimp cocktail, or enjoy a lobster roll and sit on their deck that overlooks the marina on the Five Mile River. The Rowayton Seafood Market is located at 89 Rowayton Avenue in Rowayton, CT, directly behind The Restaurant At Rowayton Seafood.  It’s open 9am-7pm (seven days a week)
 
 
After I got back from the market, I lined up my ingredients on the counter and got to work! Check out my easy recipe to ease from summer to fall grilling, which I paired with grilled asparagus.
 
Grilled Swordfish with Mango and Avocado Salsa
 
Grilled Fresh Swordfish:
Ingredients-
2 (5 to 6-ounce each) swordfish steaks
1/2-cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
 
Directions-
Prepare the grill (medium-high heat). Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and garlic in a bowl to blend. Season the lemon, basil and olive oil mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Then brush the swordfish steaks with 2 tablespoons of mixture. Grill the steaks until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the steaks) -- creating nice grill marks on fish. Transfer the steaks to plates. Then spoon the remaining sauce over the fish and let rest. Serve with mango and avocado salsa. Squeeze fresh lemon over dish. Enjoy!
 
Mango and Avocado Salsa:
Ingredients-
1 large ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 cup of fresh tomatoes, quartered
1/4-cup cilantro (chopped)
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 juice of ripe lemon
1/2 juice of ripe lime
1 tsp. of sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper (coarse)
1 tsp. of Trader Joe's Spicy, Smoky, Peach Salsa (optional) 
 
Directions-
While the fish cooks, combine the mango, avocado, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon and lime juice, cilantro and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and black pepper in a bowl. Then add 1 tsp. of spicy, smoky, peach salsa for that special "kick". Stir to blend and set aside at room temperature until fish has finished cooking. Place fillets on dish and spoon the salsa over them to serve.
 
This mango and avocado salsa has a blend of fruitiness and richness. It also goes well with grilled tuna steaks, halibut and snapper—and chicken, if you just aren’t a seafood person!
 
Janine Vairo is a frequent contributor to the Darien HamletHub and is the founder of PartyStyle Box. She blogs about party ideas, recipes, and party decor. Visit her website at www.partystylebox.com.
 
Janine Vairo, PartyStyle Box 
partystylebox@gmail.com,www.partystylebox.com, 203-273-3134
 
 

 

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Submitted by Darien, CT

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