Swordfish Oreganade

The dish I originally was made with a white fish fillet (scrod, cod, flounder or sole), however all are so flaky they are nearly impossible to grill, which is why I tried this dish with Swordfish.  Both are fabulous.  If you want to use thin white fish fillets, salt the fish, and sauté in olive oil, then remove it from the pan and keep in warm in the oven while you make the sauce.  I tend to use Angel Hair pasta for a lot of my sauces that are more chunky than creamy.  I think it holds the sauce better and doesn’t spatter as much.  I can make just as big a mess of my shirt as my kitchen.

Ingredients

1 whole Swordfish Steak (both loins), cut about 1 ½ inches thick
2 Tbs Olive oil for grilling
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the sauce
4 large beefsteak tomatoes or about 8-10 plum tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh chopped oregano leaves
1 tsp red pepper flakes
½ pound cooked pasta 

• Trim the swordfish of the skin and the bloodline, leaving two large loins of fish.  Put the fish in a flat glass or metal pan, pour the olive oil over the fish and salt it.  Leave fish in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it.
• Core, seed and dice the tomatoes.
• In a large sauté pan, add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan, and when it starts to shimmer, add the minced garlic, the red pepper flakes and the chopped oregano.  Saute until the garlic starts to turn golden.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and let them sauté until they begin to release their liquid.  You can turn off the pan until you are ready to cook the fish.
• Heat your grill to high, including the grill plate.  I always use one with fish as it creates more surface for searing and prevents the fish from flaking off through the grates.
• Brush the fish with the oil sitting in the pan, and place on the grill plate, oil side down.  Don’t move them.  Shut the grill cover, set your timer for 5 minutes and walk away.
• After five minutes, brush the other side of the fish with the oil in the pan and carefully slide a metal spatula under the fish.  If the fish sticks to the grill, it’s not ready to turn.  It will release itself when it’s ready.
• Turn the fish, don’t move it, shut the cover, and set the timer for another 5 minutes and walk away.  Go inside and check on your pasta, and turn the heat back on under the tomato sauce.
• Drain the pasta, and spoon some of the sauce into the pasta, then serve the fish and the remaining sauce over the pasta.   Or, skip the pasta altogether and just spoon the sauce over the fish.
• I know lots of people who insist you don’t serve cheese with fish, but some fresh grated parmesan cheese wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world on this dish.