Returning to simple yet savory cuisine, I am happy to share with you all a highly healthy and quick-to-do meal with an Italian twist. Perfect for spring and summer and fancy enough for guests or a special dinner, this grilled swordfish dish is enhanced by a simple basil-olive oil sauce and fresh green beans.
The perfect pairing for an Italian-inspired seafood dish is, naturally, an Italian wine. Specifically, an exceptionally fresh, light, and aromatic Italian Chardonnay from the Trentino-Alto Adige region.
Trentino-Alto Adige, which borders Austria and Switzerland, is split into two provinces, Trentino and Alto Adige. Trentino (the southernmost province, whose capital is the city of Trento), is historically Italian in language and culture. Alto Adige (the northernmost province, whose capital is the city of Bolzano), is known as Südtirol, or South Tyrol, to the mainly German-speaking population. Südtirol was historically part of Austria, and is officially bilingual.
The Alpine climate favors grapes for perfumed white wines, yet the historical emphasis has been on reds, which still account for more than half of the region’s production.
Read more about this beautiful region and some of its wines here:
Italian White Wines from the North You Should Be Drinking
You will be amazed at how quickly you can make this meal and experience so much flavor with so few ingredients. The wine beautifully balances all the nuances of the dish, promising a truly memorable repast.
Let‘s get cooking!
Menu
Grilled swordfish steak with basil-olive oil sauce
Sautéed greens beans
Wine pairing
2020 Bollini Barricato 40 Chardonnay Trentino DOC (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy)
Grilled Swordfish Steak in Basil-Olive Oil Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
Fish:
- 4 (1/2 pound each) swordfish steaks
- Sea salt & cracked pepper
- Grape seed oil (for coating grill grates)
Basil-Olive Oil Sauce:
- 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup of fresh basil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
Directions
- Place all sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until desired consistency (I personally prefer the consistency between coarse and liquid). Set aside at room temperature.
- Coat grill grates with grape seed oil and heat grill to approximately 350 degrees.
- Season fish steaks lightly with sea salt and pepper.
- Grill swordfish steaks for approximately 5-8 minutes on each side (turning fish 90 degrees after the first 4-5 minutes, so as to create cross-hatch grill marks). Turn fish over and repeat.
Sautéed Green Beans
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 ounce package of fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed
- 3 garlic cloves, whole but peeled
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt & cracked pepper
- Garnish: lemon wedges or lemon slices
Directions
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add garlic cloves and cook for about 5 minutes on low heat.
- Add green beans and cook on medium heat for about 7-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix well and remove from heat.
Serve it up!
On each individual plate, place one swordfish steak in the middle and add green beans to the side of the fish. Spoon the basil-olive oil sauce on top and to the side of the fish. Garnish side of dish with lemon wedges or slices.
Buon appetito! Enjoy!
