Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Herbs, herbs on everything. That’s been the mantra lately, out of necessity (but also appetite for fresh, bold flavors). Last night it was something like this pork noodle salad from NYT Cooking. The night before it was magic green chicken Nom Nom Paleo-style. But even before that—when the weekend was still young—it was this grilled swordfish with fresh herb sauce.

Need a side? Slice zucchini lengthwise (I know you have plenty of zucchini!), brush with EVOO, salt, and toss on the grill. The herb sauce in this recipe (which you will have plenty of) goes great with grilled veggies, too. Simple white rice adds bulk but also soaks up extra juices—a welcome addition!

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Published August 20, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 pound sword fish fillet

10-12 Shishito peppers (optional)

Large pinch of salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Sprinkle of cracked black pepper

Herb sauce:

1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (I use a mix of equal parts parsley, thai basil, mint, and oregano)

1 shallot

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Directions:

1. Light a grill and set to high. Close lid and allow grill to heat.
2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut the fish cubes (about 1-2 inches each).
3. Skewer fish pieces, along with shishito peppers if using. Sprinkle with salt, and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
4. Use a brush to coat fish with olive oil, covering both sides. Then, zest lemon over fish, and sprinkle with pepper.
5. Place fish on hot grill, and cook for 3 minutes on each side, with the grill lid closed.
6. While fish cooks, make the fresh herb sauce: mince the shallot, and place in a small bowl with lemon juice. Mince herbs, and add to bowl, along with salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Pour enough olive oil into the bowl to coat all of the herbs. Stir.
7. When fish is done cooking, remove from heat and set on serving plates. Spoon herb sauce over top, and serve hot.

Herby Cauliflower Steaks with Crispy Shallots

I've mentioned a few times on the blog and Instagram that I've been working on a few home decorating projects. I was totally  planning on sharing some progress pics today, as some of you have been asking. But instead here we are. There is a reason for this, and it's simple: most of my projects right now are only about 80% done. The living room for example, is almost there, but I still need to sand three shelves, find a secure way to drill into some brick, and even when that's complete, add the finishing touches that will give the room some warmth. 

There is no need to gloss over anything-- house projects are not always easy and you usually run into a few road blocks! As I type, Oliver is in the attic above me sealing our attic to make the whole home more energy efficient and that job is no simple task. 

My dad came over for dinner a few weeks ago and asked if I was still cooking, or if these projects have consumed my time. The honest answer is that I am definitely cooking less, but that I could never give it up completely. I need my daily dose of stove time to stay sane. One of my favorites right now: Cauliflower steaks brushed with oil, garlic, and herbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, and topped with fried shallots.  I'm a big cauliflower fan to begin with, and these steaks are one delicious way to maximize the crispy edge effect. 

Also, fried shallots. Always a yes.

Herby Cauliflower Steaks with Crispy Shallots

Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    |   

Slices of cauliflower are brushed with oil and seasoned with garlic and herbs.

Serves: 2   |    Total Time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or, if you prefer, parmesan)
• Salt & Pepper
For crispy shallots:
• 1 shallot
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove leaves and stem from cauliflower head. Using a large knife, cut the head of cauliflower into even slices, about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Place on baking sheet. (Note: at the edges, your slices may not hold together as there is no inner stem in this part. I just put the smaller piece on the baking sheet and cook them with the large pieces).
2. Mince garlic and herbs, and place in small bow. Add oil, and stir. Use a brush to spread mixture over cauliflower steaks. Sprinkle each piece with pepper to taste (I’m not big on pepper— I know crazy- so I take it easy here).
3. Place baking pan in oven and bake until cauliflower is tender and the edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes.
4. While the cauliflower cooks, free the shallots: peel the outer paper from the shallots and slice off the rooty end and discard. Use a shard knife to cut the shallot into thin slices. In a skillet, heat avocado oil. Once oil sizzles, add shallot slices and cook for several minutes, until they turn golden to medium brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and set on a dish. Discard excess oil.
5. Remove cauliflower from oven, and season with salt and nutritional yeast (or shred on a bit of parmesan if you prefer). Top with fried shallots and serve hot.

Secret Garden Relaxation Tea

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

It started with a french press. Then, my roommate and I purchased a tiny little espresso machine at Target. It was just barely small enough for our micro-kitchen, but we made it work. We'd whisk up some milk for a bit of froth, and add some flavored syrup to our joe. 

When summer came, and we no longer wanted steamy drinks, we made our own cold brew. I'd stir cocoa powder and cinnamon into my grounds, and we'd sit by the pool sipping away. That cold brew was so smooth, we could easily drink a whole liter in one sitting. It took about 3 months to take me from coffee hater to coffee lover, and then I was hooked.

At some point I realized just how much caffeine I was drinking, and I decided I probably needed to stop--I was running more, and needed more sleep as well as more water. I gave up coffee entirely, went "cold turkey". 

Talk about a struggle! I'll never live down the one day that my dad scored tickets to see Ira Glass. In the car, I told him how I was giving up coffee and felt great about it. An hour later, listening to Ira Glass (whom I adore, and am constantly inspired by,) I fell asleep. Right there, in my chair. I missed most of the show, but man did I sleep well that night. 

Since I've recovered from my caffeine withdrawal -- I drink mostly tea (spicy chai lattes!), but I do enjoy a good cup of coffee once or twice a week. Instead of drink bottomless mugs of cold brew, I drink teas like this one: Secret Garden Relaxation Tea. With chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and spearmint it's beckons visions of a garden. A secret garden, where you can let it all go and just breath. 

Secret Garden Relaxation Tea

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    |   

Yield: 1 cup dried tea    |    Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons chamomile
• 4 tablespoons lavender
• 2 tablespoons licorice
• 4 tablespoons lemon balm
• 2 tablespoons spearmint

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a jar and toss to combine.
2. To make tea/tisane, put 1 teaspoon of herb blend into a tea strainer for every 1 cup of water. Fit tea strainer into tea pot and pour boiling water over herbs. Allow to seep for 5 minutes. Serve with honey if desired.