Simple skewers brushed, after grilling, with an easy, traditional Sicilian sauce. Grill some vegetables at the same time if you like. For an indoor version, see the variation.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds swordfish, cut into large chunks

　　1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more for brushing on the fish

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 garlic cloves, peeled

　　1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Start a charcoal or gas grill, or preheat a broiler; the fire should be quite hot and the rack about 3 inches from the heat source. Thread the fish onto 4 skewers (it will be easier to turn the fish if you use 2 skewers per kebab, for a total of 8 skewers, 4 kebabs). Brush the fish with a little olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

Combine the remaining oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano in a small food processor and puree; the mixture should be smooth (scrape down the sides of the container if necessary). Stir in the lemon juice and set aside.

　　

Step 3

Grill or broil the fish, turning as each side browns, a bit more than 2 minutes per side. Swordfish is best cooked until tender but not dry; when a thin-bladed knife inserted into the center meets only a little resistance, it’s done. Drizzle with the salmoriglio, garnish with the parsley, and serve.

　　

Pan-Grilled Swordfish Steaks with Salmoriglio

Step 4

It’s nice to enhance the sauce with a tablespoon or 2 of capers when you do it this way: Use 2 steaks, each about a pound. Put a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and wait a couple of minutes. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and cook the fish until nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes; turn and cook until the fish is done. Serve with the sauce.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.