On the Charlotte TODAY Show again with Grilled Swordfish Steaks!

I just would love to find a restaurant in Charlotte that flies in fresh Swordfish, chilled in dry ice, by FEDEX!  Until then, I'm cooking up some Hawaiian and Asian favorites in the Charlotte region with our Chefs.

I first went crazy for mango with my boss, then First Lady Hillary Clinton (now the Secretary of State).  Chelsea didn't mind either as she became a vegetarian, she loved fruit and so did President Bill Clinton - he is a banana lover!  It was a true joy to make fruit salsas for them for chip dipping - and on top of fish dishes, or more.

Later, when I was living in Japan I was featured on NHK TV and was honored to work at the Tokyo American Club under Executive Chef Rick Scott.  Fred Harris, Michael Bumgardner and Lance Lee were always so welcoming there.  My Admirals, Al Konetzni and Joe Krol, Jr. were pioneers of the Chefs Exchange Program with Paul Graham of Australia.  I was so lucky.   One of the amazing things to see and do in Tokyo is to visit the famed fish market of Tsukiji, it is massive and has 1600 stalls.  Go early.  There is so much fresh fish - it is mind-boggling.

Then, living in Hawaii, I learned how to make tropical salsas with the Maui Sweet Onion and diced red pepper.  Here in Charlotte, we can use sweet Vidalia Onions!  How we love them, don't we?  Tropical salsas are great on top of pork chops or fish - BUT, man, with some cilantro - they are fantastic for dipping with tortilla chips also.  Unbelievable.

I had a chance to make another version of tropical salsas for NBC TV, with Johnson and Wales Culinary Institute, when we filmed a mini-series with the show, "Cooking with Class," and famed Chef Frank Terranova.  I did that with Halibut and Yellowfin Tuna - so as you can see, this concept works well with all big, steak cut, fish.

So here is my recipe, enjoy it and realize, you could variate it any number of ways!  We are very happy to make this dish for special dinners at The Presidential Culinary Museum and also have done it in demonstrations live across the USA, on stage. Folks love the seared hot fish with the invigorating, fresh salsa from Niagra Falls at the New York State Fair to The Taste of St. Louis or Detroit's Arts, Beats and Eats Festival or the International Balloon Festival in New Mexico!  I was recently told by Fred Gnesin (a friend of my Uncle Tony Galli) that he found the salsa part mesmerizing.

It was a pleasure to prepare this dish LIVE, on the Charlotte TODAY Show and to serve it on President Thomas Jefferson's state china since he was such a Founding Foodie.

INGREDIENTS:

For the marinade: 1 teaspoon McCormick ground ginger or use fresh grated ginger or ginger in the tube ~ 1/2 teaspoon McCormick garlic powder ~ ½ teaspoon Spice World minced garlic ~ 1 cup HT Traders low sodium (or regular if you like) soy sauce ~ 1 cup V8 Fusion Peach Mango juice ~ 1 cup HT Traders Orange Blossom honey or local honey from farmers (best if local for your allergies).

For the salsa: 2 green onions, chopped ~ 1 mango, diced ~ 1 can of Dole diced pineapple (save juice for salsa) or use fresh pineapple (diced and sweated in microwave for 2 minutes) ~ 1 red pepper (diced and sweated in microwave for 2 minutes) ~ ½ Vidalia or sweet onion (diced and sweated in saute’ pan to carmelize) ~ 2 kiwi peeled and then diced ~ 4 Swordfish steaks (one per person). FOUR SERVINGS

DIRECTIONS: First dice and sweat the red pepper in the microwave.  Next, dice and sweat the Vidalia (or any sweet onion) in a saute’ pan to carmelize and slightly brown (no need to fully cook the onion) – set aside for use later in the salsa.  Next, in a large bowl combine ginger, garlic, soy sauce, orange juice, honey and slip the fish in to marinate.  Toss and fold gently to cover all sides of fish and refrigerate for an hour or two.  Now, mix all items for the salsa and refrigerate for and hour.  Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil grate with spray.  Remove fish from marinade and discard remaining marinade.  Grill for 12 to 15 minutes per inch of thickness, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork – sprinkle sesame seeds onto fish now – for a decoration.  Before serving on a nice plate, spoon some salsa on top of and around the fish - Yummy! 

Consider serving over HT Traders Lemongrass Ginger rice or HT Traders Jasmine Rice and garnish with a flower :)  You can also decorate the swordfish with black and white sesame seeds!  Beautiful!