Dinner Tonight: Suya Swordfish + Summer Squash Couscous

Food52

This dinner menu employs three summer musts: fresh fish, fresh produce, and a grill. Swordfish has a meaty texture that takes well to the flame, especially when coated in a marinade that caramelizes as it cooks. The couscous salad is filling and bright, with touches of sweetness from the squash, raisins, and honey. Together they're a pair that you'll want to revisit all summer long.

The Menu

Suya Swordfish by Kitchen Butterfly

Serves 4

400g (or around 3/4 pound) swordfish steak, cut into 8 long thick strips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon chili pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
Thinly sliced red onions, tomatoes, lime halves and cilantro leaves, to serve

1. Make the peanut paste by combining peanut butter, paprika, chili pepper, salt, ground ginger and lime juice. Stir well and taste. Adjust spices as necessary.

2. Place fish strips in a large bowl and pour peanut sauce over it, then using your hands, mix well ensuring the pieces are coated with the sauce. Leave to marinate for as long as possible.

3. When ready to cook, prepare the grill and let the coals heat up until they're very hot.

4. Then pass (soaked wooden) skewers through each piece of swordfish, and place on oiled grill grates. Let cook for 5 to 6 minutes on one side, then flip over and let the other side cook for 2 to 3 minutes. If not ready, remove to a part of the grill where heat is indirect and let swordfish finish cooking.

5. Serve with thinly sliced red onions, sliced cherry tomatoes, lime halves and cilantro leaves.

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Summer Squash Couscous with Sultanas, Pistachios and Mint



Get the Summer Squash Couscous recipe on Food52.

The Grocery List

Serves 4

1 lemon
1 cup couscous
1/2 cup diced yellow squash
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1 medium shallot
1/2 cup sultanas, or golden raisins
1/4 cup pistachios
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
One 400-gram (or around 3/4 pound) swordfish steak, cut into 8 long, thick strips
Peanut butter
1 teaspoon chili pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
Red onions, tomatoes, lime halves and coriander leaves, to serve

We know you've got a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator so you'll have garlic, honey, olive oil, vegetable stock, pepper, paprika, and ground ginger on hand. If not, add those to the list!

The Plan

1. Make the peanut paste by combining peanut butter, paprika, chili pepper, salt, ground ginger and lime juice. Place fish strips in a large bowl and pour peanut sauce over it, then using your hands, mix well ensuring the pieces are coated with the sauce. Leave to marinate as long as possible. (The original swordfish recipe says to marinate for a few hours, but feel free to just leave it in as long as possible -- we promise it will still be delicious!)

2. Get your wooden skewers soaking in water -- you'll need them for the grill.

3. Onto the couscous. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and let them steep a bit.

4. Bring the veggie stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the couscous, cover, and turn off the heat; allow the couscous to sit for about 5 minutes, or until it absorbs all the liquid. Toss the couscous with a fork so the grains don't start clumping together, pour into a large mixing bowl, and set aside.

5. In a skillet over medium high heat, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then, add the chopped squash and zucchini, shallot, sultanas, pistachios and a pinch or two of salt. Only cook for about a minute or two -- you still want the squash and zucchini to be al dente. Set aside until everything reaches room temperature.

6. Now back to the swordfish -- get that grill going! Pass your skewers through each piece of swordfish, and place them on an oiled rack. Let them cook for 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip over and let the other side cook for 2-3 minutes.

7. Your couscous and veggies should be room temperature by now -- toss them all together!

8. Serve the fish with thinly-sliced red onions, sliced cherry tomatoes, lime halves and coriander leaves. Enjoy!

First photo by Melanie Einzig; second photo by Sarah Shatz