Grilled Swordfish with Tzatziki

This one has a little bit of a backstory, if you'll indulge me...don't worry, it will eventually get there !

Even though I grew up surrounded by fantastic cooks, there were quite a few dishes that I never got around to trying (or appreciating - exhibit a, corned beef) until I met my husband. One of these, surprisingly, was lamb. I'm guessing this was because of some combination of the good stuff being expensive, and the cheap stuff being...not so good (and therefore not something anyone in my family wanted to eat). Whatever the reason, it wasn't until I met Mark that I beheld the wonder that was lamb...specifically, lamb gyros. Fluffy pita bread, filled with deliciously grilled lamb marinated in something I couldn't quite identify...this was takeout food like I'd never seen before. And the sauce...oh, the sauce. Cool, creamy, garlicky goodness. I had no idea what it was, but that didn't stop me from gobbling it up whenever I got the chance.

Fast forward a few years, and I had the good fortune of working down the street from a great little Greek food spot in my own hometown - the Farm Grill . Despite the name, which makes it sound like - well - "farm" food, this is actually a counter-serve Greek restaurant with some seriously delicious food - and, from what my actual Greek friends tell me, the stuff is pretty legit. I remember we used to get our Greek coworker to call whenever we ordered lunch from there, figuring they would be nicer to her...not really known for their warm and fuzzy service, but the food is worth it (even if you don't have an obliging Greek coworker...Effie, I miss you ! ). When you walk in, you immediately see - and smell - the gyro meat, rotating on tall vertical rotisseries. I could write a whole post about Farm Grill, but the important bit for this story is the gyro - for this is where I discovered this delicious sauce was called "tzatziki" At this point I still wasn't quite the crazy foodie I am today, but I was definitely on my way...a little knowledge can be a scary thing !

My next flirtation with tzatziki was in the early days of this blog...well it wasn't actually tzatziki, it was a cucumber raita - the Indian version which is a close cousin (but without the dill and garlic seen above). As noted in that entry, the guys weren't really enamored of it, so I didn't make it again...but I didn't stop thinking about tzatziki.

And then, there was the bluefish.

Earlier this summer, the guys went on a fishing trip for striper...except no one caught any keeper striper. They did, however, catch tons of bluefish - and my guys being enterprising, resourceful boys decided to bring all of it home...not only theirs, but their boatmates as well. Unfortunately, what they didn't know at the time was that you really can't freeze bluefish - bluefish at its best takes a little work to achieve Culinary Orgasm status, but frozen is just no good - it turns into an unappetizing mush. I, however, did know this - and slightly panicked at the sight of 10 pounds of bluefish fillets that had to pretty much be cooked in 24 hours ! Half of it immediately went into brine for smoking (delicious - will try and get that on the blog at some point), some was transformed into Vietnamese Caramel Bluefish that night ( also delicious and in need of some blog love; I based mine on this recipe ) The rest was destined for the grill the next day. I knew it was going to need some sort of sauce, and mustard sauce  - my traditional favorite on blues -  was out as my husband hates that particular combination.(Okay, full disclosure - I did make a little mustard sauce just for me :) ) . The time was ripe for me to get a good tzatziki under my belt...not that I'd ever had it with bluefish before, but I somehow knew that it would be a match made in heaven. And oh man...was it ever !

Bluefish is such a strongly flavored, oily fish that it needs something bright to cut it...and tzatziki is definitely that; lemony, garlicky, herby brightness. That's why it works so well with lamb...but really, it good on all kinds of stuff. Any kind of meat or fish you can think of (burgers ! chicken breast ! the mind boggles)...killer on a baked potato...spread on pita bread...or just eaten with a spoon.  I think the main difference with the version I make now is the yogurt; real Greek yogurt is essential to this dish, the runny American stuff just won't cut it. That, and make sure you use fresh minced garlic; I was out the day I photographed this, so I used the paste...not nearly as good. (How the heck does a foodie run out of garlic ! grrrr...)

Since I don't have pictures of the bluefish dinner, you're getting the next best thing - a simple grilled swordfish that we did tonight. Nothing fancy here, just marinated it in a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dill; grilled on a super hot fire about 5 - 6 minutes a side. The tzatziki is the real star here - true Culinary Orgasm !

Tzatziki

Fat content on the yogurt is personal preference, but I personally find this work best with 2%.  

1 English cucumber or 2 - 3 mini cucumbers, very finely chopped ( no need to peel unless you prefer; remove seeds if large).          
2 - 4 garlic cloves, minced          
1 cup plain Greek yogurt    
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil    
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste at the end. Let sit about an hour to really let the flavors blend.

Sister's Stew (from Game of Thrones), Culinary Orgasm style

a trencher of yummmmm

This post found inspiration in so many places, I hardly know where to start...

I discussed my family's love of the "Song of Fire and Ice" series (better known in TV Land as "Game of Thrones") in this post , as well as giving a brief history of trenchers. We've also discussed our love of fishing in a few places (notably here and here ).  So when a dear friend pointed me to an entire blog of recipes from the books via a recipe for this amazing stew, I had to check it out. The blog is fantastic, if you're a fan....it's called Inn at the Crossroads , named after a location in the books that's seen its share of drama. And the stew...oh, the the stew. The Sisters (in the books) are three islands - and apparently they make one heck of a stew :

“The beer was brown, the bread black, the stew a creamy white. She served it in a trencher hollowed out of a stale loaf. It was thick with leeks, carrots, barley, and turnips white and yellow, along with clams and chunks of cod and crabmeat, swimming in a stock of heavy cream and butter. It was the sort of stew that warmed a man right down to his bones, just the thing for a wet, cold night…”

-George R.R. Martin, Dance with Dragons

Pretty much says it all right there.

The recipe as written in the blog (entry here) really looked pretty fantastic (OT: it was actually a guest post from another blog about Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander"series - another one of my faves !). I made some minor changes, as I come from a long line of chowder makers and have some definite firm opinions about what goes in a good chowder . The changes include swapping in some potatoes for part of the turnips as I'm not the hugest turnip fan out there (though we had to keep some for authenticity), added some nutmeg and cloves as they were referenced in the book (again with the authenticity...plus they compliment the heavy cream so well), and some other minor changes. The biggest changes I made, though, were to start the vegetables in salt pork instead of olive oil (no self-respecting Down Easter would use anything but) and to swap our own excellent homemade fish stock for the water and clam juice.

veggies for stock

fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads....

 Our stock recipe is at the end of this post...now, granted, if you're not a crazy fisher-person like the people who live here you may not have giant fish heads in your freezer...that's just how we roll :) You can sometimes find heads for stock making at your local grocery store or fish market, but if you don't see them, ask - they'll be able to recommend something.

Enjoy !

Sister's Stew
adapted from Inn at the Crossroads

1/4 lb salt pork, cubed
2 cups leeks, white & light green only (save the tops for the stock)
1/2 cup carrot, peeled & diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup barley, uncooked
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups fish stock (see below)
1/2 cup diced white potatoes (or white turnip)
1/2 cup yellow turnip (rutabaga), peeled & diced
4  sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch of saffron
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground clove
1 lb cod or other white fish , in small chunks
1/2 lb crabmeat
1 cup clam meat, chopped if large
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste


Fry salt pork in a large pot over medium heat until toasty brown and the fat has been released (this is called "trying out"). Remove salt pork from pan, but leave fat in there (you can drain the cubes on paper towels and retain for garnish if you like that sort of thing,, which we do...be warned the bits are very salty though !) Add the leeks, carrots and celery to the hot fat in the pot and sweat until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and barley. Stir constantly until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Deglaze with wine and reduce until almost dry. Add the fish stock, potatoes, turnips and thyme. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables and barley are almost tender, 30 minutes. Remove the woody thyme stems and add the cod. Simmer for 5 - 10 more minutes, or until the cod is almost cooked,

Warm the cream gently in a small saucepan then add the saffron, rubbing the threads between your finger tips to break them up slightly. Add the nutmeg and cloves, then stir the cream into the stew. Add the crabmeat, clams, and butter . Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the fish is done and and the butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish each bowl with a few cubes of salt pork (if using. )

Serve hot with plenty of freshly ground pepper and black bread (or, if you really want to go for it , serve in hollowed out large rolls or small bread loaves)

Fish Stock
(loosely based on Jasper White's)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 celery ribs, including leafy green tops, coarsely chopped
Dark green tops from 4 leeks, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, sliced
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
6 to 8 thyme sprigs
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 - 3 good sized fish heads, rinsed well
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups  hot tap water
1 - 2 tsp kosher or sea salt, to taste

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the celery, leeks, shallots, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, parsley and peppercorns to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 - 10 minutes. Stir in the fish heads and the wine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. 

Add the hot water, stir gently and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, stir once and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve. Season lightly with salt and let cool, then refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Note : Depending on the size and species of your fish, you may have some lovely meat left over when the stock is done - cod cheeks from a large cod are particularly tasty. Feel free to retain this meat and stir it into your final soup/stew/chowder/what have you...

Fish Tacos with Tequila-Lime Aioli and Auntie Jojo's Black Bean Salad

TACOS RULE !! *

I love fish. Growing up, whenever we ate out I almost always ordered fish...even as a kid at McDonald's, I was far more likely to be found with a Filet-O-Fish than I was with a Happy Meal. My little sister hated fish, so we never got to have it at home...so I ate it every chance I got. Even now, more often than not I tend to order fish when I go out. Old habits die hard, I guess - or I really do love fish that much !

I also love tacos. I remember tacos being the first meal I was ever allowed to cook in Maine, which was a huge deal (that was a house full of seriously good cooks, and the kids weren't really allowed in the kitchen).  Tacos are not only tasty and fairly healthy (well, except the cheese and sour cream), but they are great for feeding kids (and picky grownups). Fun to build your own food, and you can just put in what you like. Kid friendly, grown-up foodie approved !

Given my affection for all things fish and taco related, it seems amazing that I had never sampled the delight that is the fish taco until last year. Somehow fish and taco were two words that never went together in my head...sort of like bacon and chocolate. (Which actually do go together. But I digress :) ). After seeing a coworker order some really fantastic-looking fish tacos at one of our favorite lunch spots, I decided to take the plunge. Oh, yeah. Spicy bits of fish, the cooling crunch of cabbage, the silkiness and tang of the cream...that's some Culinary Orgasm right there.

Fish tacos originated in Baja California , and are very popular on the West Coast - though they are definitely working their way on to a lot of menus here in the Northeast. There are two popular varieties - one in which the fish is battered, fried and crunchy, and one where the fish is spiced and grilled or quickly pan-seared. Though we're definitely not afraid of the deep fryer around these parts, I decided to go with the non-battered version...even here at CO HQ, we do try to eat healthy at least once in a while. Shredded cabbage, a sour cream or crema (basically Mexican sour cream), and some sort of salsa round out the basic construction. The version you see here is one of my usual mashups - I did a lot of reading and incorporated bits of different recipes as well as my own ideas. This one is basically a  Bobby Flay / Alton Brown / Guy Fieri cover (the aioli is pretty much all Guy, and a brilliant idea). The only thing I really wish I had done differently is used a crunchy corn shell wrapped in a flour shell...I had them that way once, and it was by far the best presentation when using a non-battered fish component. (I did soft and soft, which was okay...but soft/hard would have been much better !) You can of course do just soft or just hard rather that doubling up - it's your party ! The doubling prevents the hard shell from disintegrating at first bite, which is my major problem with hard taco shells.

Black bean salad is a perfect accompaniment to tacos - my sister (the fish hating one) actually puts it in her tacos, which I have to admit is a pretty damn good idea. My much beloved sister-in-law who moved to Key West a few years ago sent us back this recipe, and it is truly a winner - easy to make, plenty of flavor, super cool and refreshing. Jojo specifies English cucumbers, which I do prefer myself - but the guys who live here are not fans of the English, so I use plain ol' American instead. I wish she would send herself back more often - I miss her all the time - but for now, I'll just eat this salad and think of her.

yummy fishes !

choose your weapon

Tequila-Lime Aioli

Black Bean Salad

* "Tacos Rule" is a Robot Chicken reference - see here or here . Yes, I know it's pretty dumb. So am I, sometimes :)


Fish Tacos

Fish :

1 1/2 lbs white flaky fish - tilapia or mahimahi work very well
2 T canola oil (plus extra for pan)
2 T tequila
juice and zest of 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 clove garlic
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes :

Sour Cream or Tequila-Lime Aioli (recipe follows)
Prepared salsa of your choice
Shredded cabbage (I like the look and flavor of the red, but use whichever you like better)
Chopped red and green onions
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
8 - 10 hard taco shells, heated according to package directions
8 - 10 flour tortillas, heated

Tequila-Lime Aioli

8 oz sour cream OR crema OR Crème fraiche
juice and zest of 1 lime
2 T tequila
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
2 T cilantro

For fish - combine all ingredients except fish in blender, and blend well to make a marinade. Pour marinade over fish (large Ziploc works well) and marinate for 15 - 20 minutes. Heat a large pan (a griddle or grill pan works great) and brush with oil. Cook the fillets until just cooked through and opaque, about 4 minutes per side. Serve in taco shells wrapped in tortillas, and let everyone garnish accordingly.

Auntie Jojo's Black Bean Salad

1 large or 2 small cucumbers, peeled and chopped into cubes
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1/2 c chopped red onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cumin
juice of 2 limes (I throw a little of the zest in too)
chopped cilantro to taste

Mix all ingredients, and chill.