Recipe: Stuffed Grilled Swordfish (Involtini di pesce spada)

the appetizer:

Italian Cooking at Home by the Culinary Institute of America includes recipes like Chickpea Fritters (Panissa fritta o panelle); Black Risotto (Risotto al nero di seppia); Broth (Brodo); and Stuffed Grilled Swordfish (Involtini di pesce spada).

Stuffed Grilled Swordfish
(Involtini di pesce spada)

Serves 4 to 6

Salmoriglio sauce is a pungent but simple combination of olive oil, lemon, and oregano. Pass it at the table so that everyone can dress their fish to suit themselves.

Salmoriglio

6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tsp chopped oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 lb swordfish steaks

Stuffing

1 cup minced yellow onions
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp salted capers, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes and drained
3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 cup shredded provolone (4 oz)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed

1. Preheat a grill to medium heat.

2. To make the salmoriglio, mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

3- Slice the swordfish into thin slices about 1/2 inch thick, pound them lightly, and trim the slices into a square shape. Mince the trimmings and reserve to add to the stuffing in step 4.

4. To make the stuffing, sweat the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat with the garlic, parsley, and basil until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the capers and the trimmings from the swordfish. Add the bread crumbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Place some of the stuffing in the center of each slice of swordfish and roll them up. Place the rolls on skewers and brush with the remaining olive oil.

6. Grill, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.

7. Serve at once, drizzled with the salmoriglio or served on the side.

Wine notes: Stuffed grilled swordfish skewers drizzled with a fragrant, flavorful salmoriglio provide a delightful mix of the ocean and the earth. The grilled fish provides a sweet flavor and rich texture, while the stuffing and sauce provide a complex but fairly light mix of flavors. Medium- to full-bodied white wines, dry roses, and refreshing sparklers will all add something different to the dish, but each of the wines will help to harmonize its disparate elements.

White: Inzolia hom Sicily; Vermentino di Gallura from Sardinia; Falanghina from Campania; Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico from Le Marche; Pinot Grigio from Trentino Alto-Adige or Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Gavi from Piedmont; Frascati Superiore from Lazio; Orvieto Classico from Umbria

Rose: Rosato from Valle d'Aosta or Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Cerasuolo from Abruzzo; Lacrymarosa from Campania

Sparkling: Prosecco from Veneto

from:
Italian Cooking at Home
by the Culinary Institute of America
Gianni Scappin, Alberto Vanoli, and Steven Kolpan
Photographer: Francesco Tonelli
Wiley 2011
Hardcover; $34.95; 336 pages
ISBN-10: 047018258X
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-18258-1
Reprinted by permission.

Buy Italian Cooking at Home

Italian Cooking at Home

Recipes
- Chickpea Fritters (Panissa fritta o panelle)
- Black Risotto (Risotto al nero di seppia)
- Broth (Brodo)
- Stuffed Grilled Swordfish (Involtini di pesce spada)