Sunday Feast № 49 | Grilled Swordfish with Cilantro Chile Vinaigrette

The combination of what I see as Latin flavors of cilantro, chilies, lemon or lime juice, is irresistible to me. The multi-dimensional citrus flavors cut with spicy heat enhance any rich food far better than any of those ingredients alone. Plus, the simplicity of this meal is quite alluring. Think about it: simply grilled fish steak with butter finish, elevated with that kind of a vinaigrette. Have it with crisp dry white wine and good bread to mop up those juices, or maybe skip the latter if you have big fish steaks, and after all, licking the plate is acceptable is certain circumstances. If you can't get swordfish steaks, I hear halibut and fresh tuna are good substitutes. The recipe is very slightly adapted from Food & Wine magazine November 2014 issue (yep, still with the same issue after the pumpkin focaccia): it was the garlic - the cloves I had were big so I downsized from two to one as not to lose the other flavors. And yes, I did use left over vinaigrette like pesto. Fun on the side The same magazine issue made me happy to no end by including a recipe for Yemeni hot sauce. This meant that for once I didn't have to fret over what to do with significant amount of cilantro left behind, which is more often than not the case in my kitchen. This sauce drizzled over roasted vegetables was a divine simplicity. Yet again.

4 swordfish steaks ~ ½ in/1½ cm thick ½ cup + more for brushing 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1½ cups cilantro leaves and stems coarsley chopped ¾ cup parsley leaves and stems coarsley chopped 1 garlic clove minced 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 Frenso or red jalapeño chiles very finely chopped pinch of saffron threads ¼ tsp red pepper flakes ¾ tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Mix ½ cup olive oil with chopped cilantro and parsley, garlic, lemon juice, chiles, saffron, red pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Heat a grill pan or such. Brush the fish steaks with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until browned on one side, about 3-5 min. Turn steaks and top each with ½ tbsp butter. Grill 2-5 min longer, until the fish is cooked through. Serve with the vinaigrette spooned over.