Swordfish can slice through the warm waters they generally inhabit at up to sixty miles per hour. They often encounter schools of fish along their travels and kill or stun their prey by slashing about with their sword. What type of protector to those helpless smaller fish would I be if I didn’t stand strong upon the top of the food chain and remove one or two of the pointy beaks from the sea?

Grilled up with some lemon and garlic, swordfish is a delicious addition to our diet. I can hear the ruckus now. Let’s go ahead and get the unreasonable screaming about the danger of fish containing mercury out of the way now. From Time Magazine:

Overall, the dangers of not eating fish [including tuna] outweigh the small possible dangers from mercury. The recommended amount for adults is to eat one or two servings of fish per week — but probably only 10% to 20% of the population in the U.S. eats sufficient fish. The real danger in this country, the real concern, is that we’re not eating enough fish. That is very likely increasing our rates of death from heart disease.

For those of you who don’t eat fish regularly, I command you to start. I do, however, I mix it up with salmon, yellowtail, tuna, swordfish, mahi-mahi, you name it. But what happens if I eat the slippery suckers containing heavy metal seven days a week?

In adults who eat fish with high levels of mercury very frequently — like, every day — there have been case reports that it causes neurologic symptoms, like sensory disturbances and imbalance. Again, that’s in people who are eating fish very frequently and eating fish that are generally high in mercury. But the symptoms are temporary; they go away if you stop eating mercury.

Copy that. I’ll be ingesting these types of fish once or twice a week. No problem. They’ll be that much more delicious.

So don’t let that discussion get you down. Instead, let’s focus on the swordfish’s nutritionally dense flesh. I don’t know about you, but I’m constantly active and I break down my muscle tissue several times a week with heavy weight training sessions. Since I go what I stress is the healthier route and avoid supplements, I’m always interested in foods with plentiful amounts of amino acids to aid in the repair and building of muscle mass. From SFGate:

Amino acids reduce inflammation and may help lower the risks of heart disease, certain cancers and arthritis. They are essential to nerve health and vision. Swordfish is a rich source of both essential and conditional amino acids.

There is no doubt that everyone is interested in increasing their lean muscle and ridding their body of fat. Universally, we all look for that boost of energy too; think of the number of uncreative commercials for energy drinks and shots you see too frequently. A portion of swordfish, with its high selenium content, could help you resist the siren call of the sugar-filled can of caffeine at 3pm.

Selenium plays roles in energy production, digestion and maintaining healthy skin and nerve cells.

Y’all know we strive for the healthiest possible whole foods. If you’ve been following for some time, you’re also aware that we don’t swap flavor for nutrition. We aim for splendid, mouthwatering flavors which pack substantial punch.

Swordfish is appreciated for its rich, meaty flavor. Cuts of swordfish are often called steaks, and rightly so. I’ll be offsetting the strong, distinct taste with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, garlic and cool mint and throwing them on the grill. From everydaylife.com:

Unlike subtler-tasting fishes, swordfish stands up to grilling without falling apart or losing its flavor under the grill’s smoky overtones. This means you can pair it with some pretty big flavors without losing the swordfish in the dish.

Here’s the recipe, courtesy of the Food Network:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (5 to 6-ounces each) swordfish steaks

Directions

1. Prepare the grill (medium-high heat).
2. Whisk the oil, mint, lemon juice, basil, and garlic in a medium bowl to blend.
3. Season the lemon and olive oil mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Brush the swordfish steaks with 2 tablespoons of the lemon and olive oil mixture.
5. Grill the steaks until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side (depending on thickness of steaks).
6. Transfer the steaks to plates. Spoon (or spork) the remaining sauce over and serve.

I’m salivating already and it’s only 9:35 in the morning. I’ll get ready for my 4^th of July lunch by banging out my 5 sets of squats, overhead presses and deadlifts. The swordfish will be exceptional afterwards.

Enjoy the fireworks, wherever you are.

Kap

PS: I had to throw in an update. This recipe is sensational. Juices fully intact, dense, meaty texture, the flavor popped bite after bite. I recommend brushing your steaks with the oil/lemon mix a second time after flipping and once more lightly upon removing from the grill. Wow, I’m in awe. Electrifying. Quite possibly the easiest and most rewarding experience I’ve had making fish at home.