A Great Catch – In the kitchen with Jill Paglia

Try these easy grilled swordfish and mahi mahi recipes for a healthy and delicious meal.

I have loved to go fishing ever since I was a little girl. When my family moved to Ocala, I was 4 years old and fondly recall my parents taking my brother and me to Cedar Key, where we would fish from the banks. We caught and ate such local delicacies as blue crabs and shellcrackers.

My husband also enjoys fishing, so much so that we formed a professional sport fishing team based in the Florida Keys. It was in a restaurant in the Keys that I first had a fish taco with the delicious slaw featured in this article.

One reason I’m such a big fan of saltwater fishing is the amazing variety you can bring home to your kitchen—such as yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, mahi mahi, swordfish and blackfin tuna. I believe that fish is a great component of a healthy diet. Keeping the recipe and presentation simple, such as fi sh fried or grilled with a little seasoning, butter, lemon and garlic, can be an easy way to introduce seafood to young ones and those hesitant to try such dishes.

The Amazing Mahi Mahi Tacos recipe I developed features that tasty avocado and lime slaw, but you also could dress the tacos with a tomato salsa, salsa verde or chipotle-based sauce or change them up by using shrimp or lobster and toppings such as mango or pineapple. Another favorite is my Grilled Mediterranean Swordfish with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Olives, which is so healthy and full of flavor. There are many side dishes that pair perfectly with either recipe, from a simple salad or sweet pea risotto to hush puppies or conch fritters. As for drinks and dessert? Margaritas and Key Lime Pie of course!

Creating these dishes can be a fun family and friends event, with guests helping as you cook on the grill and working their way through an “assembly line” of slaw, cheese, grilled lime wedges, salsas and other toppings to create their own masterpiece.

Whether you catch your own fish, buy it from a fresh fish vendor or source flash frozen seafood, don’t be afraid to “reel in” these delicious delicacies.

Posted in Living, Table

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