Involtini di Pesce Spada
The last time I visited Sicily just about every restaurant I went to had a variation of these typically Sicilian stuffed swordfish rolls on the menu. This is one version of the dish, it can also be found with a stuffing that contains currants and pine nuts. I’m a big olive and caper fan so this is the way I usually prepare them.
Salmoriglio, is a traditional Sicilian Marinade and it is very common for it to be served on the side with grilled fish to be drizzled on afterwards. It is optional with this dish, but I really love the flavor it adds, especially when you cut the rolls open and the juices soak into the stuffing.
Involtini di Pesce Spada Recipe
Serves 4
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
12 pitted gaeta olives, chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless swordfish steaks about 1/2 inch thick
Salmoriglio (see below) or lemon wedges
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Start a fire in a charcoal grill, or pre-heat a gas grill. Soak 4 wooden skewers in cold water.
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Combine bread crumbs, capers, olives, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix well.
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Place each swordfish steak between two pieces of wax paper and pound gently with the flat end of a meat pounder to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut each steak in half.
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Place one-eighth of the bread-crumb mixture near one end of each piece of fish and roll it up as neatly as possible, tucking in the ends. Thread the fish onto a pair of wooden skewers held parallel to each other, 4 rolls per pair of skewers.
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Brush the fish with the remaining olive oil and grill over high heat until
firm to the touch, 8-10 minutes, turning once. -
Remove rolls from skewers and serve with the salmoriglio on the side for drizzling or lemon wedges.
Salmoriglio Recipe
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 4 lemons
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine garlic, oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well.
Christmas Eve Menu 2009
With Christmas less than two weeks away this is a good time to encourage anybody who is interested in having a traditional Southern Italian all fish Christmas Eve Dinner to check out our Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. We first published this menu, with dishes like the Fried Calamari pictured above, on The Italian Chef in 2007, and will try and update it every year with at least one new recipe. It is not a hard set menu, just some suggestions with the goal of giving you a lot of options so you can mix it up to your own taste. This year we have a nice addition to the antipasti choices, Insalata Frutta di Mare.
