| Recipes

My mother Sarina's BBQ swordfish - by Carmela D'Amore

This simple dish reminds me of my mother Sarina and her father.

Growing up she would tell me stories of her father who I had never met until I was ten years old. We visited Sicily where I had the opportunity to meet him for the first time.

My mother had told me stories about him and how her father was a proud fisherman. He had his own boats and had employees who worked for him who where part of the community, his father my great grandfather Tommaso was also a fisherman.

When he caught tuna or sword fish, he would eagerly return home and my nonna Santa would cook the catch of the day for everyone to enjoy the fruits of the sea, proudly showcasing the spoils of the sea.

My mother retold this story to me each time she would prepare swordfish on the BBQ.

When I finally met Nonno Stefano, it felt as if I could live a moment of my mother's childhood memory myself, as I experienced my grandfather's passion for seafood on a fishing expedition in Milazzo. We were all together, my mother, the father she adored, a bucket of bait and me.

We stayed for 3 months, and I got to meet all of my mother's family, when she would introduce each one it was as if I had already known them, from her memories and the stories she shared from her own childhood.

This simple grilled swordfish with vegetables is my mother's recipe inspired by her father's memory.


Ingredients

2 Fresh Swordfish steaks

fresh chopped parsley

One half of lemon juice

Virgin Olive oil

chilli

Preheated BBQ

Method:

Squeeze half a lemon juice in a large serving dish, with a drizzle of virgin olive oil sea salt and a little chilli if preferred and allow the ingredients to sit and enhance there flavours in the oil.

Place the swordfish steaks on the BBQ and allow to cook for around 3 to 4 minutes each side, place the swordfish in the marinade and serve.

If you prefer you can make a salad, or just fresh seasonal greens with some grilled red peppers on the side of this dish.

Enjoy! Buon Cibo!

Note: you can pan fry some capers, olives, and a little napoli, chilli, and place this ragu on top of the swordfish as it is a lovely refreshing taste, this is one of my recipes.

Carmela D’Amore

Carmela D’Amore

Carmela D’Amore is an Award Winning International Sicilian chef.  Amazon author of 5 books, her latest is a children's book, the daughter and granddaughter of Sicilian migrants, with over 49 years of hospitality experience. Ambassador to Sicilian food for Splendid Sicily, town Ambassador to Milazzo, her mother's hometown in Sicily. Currently working on her cooking channel on YouTube, become part of her community and subscribe to her channel.