Swordfish

Fish stews abound throughout the Mediterranean and most evolved from the fishing boats themselves, as fishermen reserved the worst of their catch for themselves and cooked it on-board.

Maccheroncini al Pesce Spada This dish epitomizes what I have found true Sicilian cooking to be: fresh tasting, light, and fragrant.

Swordfish or lamb —guests can choose just one kind of kebab or both. (Chicken can be substituted for the lamb, if you prefer.) The same quick marinade flavors the kebabs, then gets reduced to a sauce for serving alongside.

The first time my Nantucket Island friends Nigel Dyche and Sarah Chase made this for me, I was incredulous at how fabulous it was, yet so simple. The fish tastes of the sea and the smoke from the grill with no extraneous flavors to mask the ocean-fresh steaks. The mayonnaise coats the thick pieces of fish, keeping them moist inside and promoting a golden caramelized color on the outside. Nantucket Islanders use this recipe mostly for swordfish, and it is one of their favorite summer meals, especially when paired with thick slices of ruby-red garden tomatoes.

VLC (Very Low Carb)
5.5 grams Carbs that Count Peperonata is a yielding compote of colorful peppers that stew in extra-virgin olive oil and their own sweet juices. Terrific served warm atop juicy swordfish, it is also delicious at room temperature or chilled.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A high-protein dish loaded with flavor. Purchased sorbet makes a nice dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Even though Aux Delices des Bois left Tribeca, Thierry and I still love Zutto, the sushi bar that was near our warehouse. It dates back to when Tribeca's cast-iron canopies cast their shadows on silent streets at night. Its metal loading dock held two tables, the precursor to the neighborhood's current profusion of loading-dock cafes. One evening the sushi chef, Albert Tse, made us this special dish, using a fish from each of the seven seas. Kind of like a Japanese version of the ancient French dish Coquilles St-Jacques, it combines fin fish and aromatic oyster mushrooms with the scallops and sharpens the flavor with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and seaweed. If scallop shells aren't handy, use any ovenproof baking dish.

Serve the fish with steamed rice and braised bok choy or Napa cabbage for an elegant and easy Asian-inspired dinner. Begin marinating the fish at least three hours before you plan to cook it.

Here's an easy spice rub that adds lots of flavor but not fat. It's also great with salmon or fresh tuna steaks.

The Strait of Messina is a rich source for swordfish, which the Sicilians prepare in many ways. Here it is at its simplest: grilled and served with salmoriglio sauce. (In Sicilian, it is sammurigghiu sauce.) The words means "brine", a translation that does not convey the taste or texture of this cooked blend of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs. Serve with bread and pour a white wine, preferably Sicilian. For dessert, offer cannoli from the bakery.

For dinner in a matter of minutes, try this Mediterranean-flavored main course.

(PALOMBO CON PESTO TRAPANESE) Here shark and pesto are teamed up in a great entrée. Offer it with the excellent dry white wine, Nozze d'Oro from Regaleali, the star of the Sicilian wine industry.

To offset its bitterness, the endive is caramelized with sugar in this recipe.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.