Swordfish in a Garlic White Wine Sauce with Brussel Sprouts Afelia

Brussels sprouts, you ask? Trust me, they are good. I tasted my first Brussels sprouts just a couple years ago but have quickly become a fan. At first I only ate them in sweet sauces, convinced I only liked them due to the sugary flavoring that honey or maple syrup provided. And then I went to Zaytinya, a Jose Andres restaurant here in DC. It is a mezzo restaurant (small plates) that includes Greek food with a twist. There, I tried the Brussels sprouts afelia and fell in love. The crisp leaves and earth-y taste was accented by fresh garlic, coriander, barberries, and Greek yogurt. It was unbelievable and I set out to recreate it. While still perhaps not quite as good as the original, I believe the recipe I include below is not a bad attempt for a Jose Andres-less kitchen!

Here I paired the Brussels sprouts with a simply prepared swordfish. The basic garlic-white wine sauce allows the natural fresh flavor of the fish to shine through. Cook this when swordfish is in season and delight in the natural, delicious flavor of this thick, meat-y fish. Finally, I rounded out the meal with some delicious roasted fingerling potatoes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 45 minutes
Cost: $27.28



Swordfish in a Garlic White Wine Sauce
Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb Swordfish
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c white wine
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp black pepper

Like that short ingredient list? You should have everything but the fish in your house so you can quickly throw this together! Use whatever wine you prefer. I keep giant jugs of cheap wine for cooking, but you could also use the wine you'll be drinking at dinner to truly get your meal and drink to match up in taste.

Place the swordfish in a dish and pour 1/2 c of white wine over the fish. Mince two garlic cloves and smear them over the top of the fish. Let the fish marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Heat a grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil has a chance to heat for a minute or two, add the remaining 4 cloves of minced garlic. Stir constantly to keep from burning and the let the garlic saute for 30-60 seconds. Add the fish to the pan.

Pour the remaining 1/4 c of white wine to the pan as well as the lemon juice. Sprinkle half of the black pepper on the side of the swordfish facing up.

Cook 5-7 minutes and then flip the fillet. Sprinkle the remaining pepper on the other side of the swordfish. Cook an additional 5-7 minutes and flip for the last time. Either remove from the heat or continue to cook until the swordfish is cooked to your taste. (I prefer my fish fully cooked.) Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts Afelia
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
2 c Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp coriander
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c dried barberries or cranberries

1 c Greek yogurt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp olive oil

First, make the sauce. Mix together the Greek yogurt, 3 minced fresh garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp olive oil. Stir until well combined and then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve the Brussels sprouts.

Wash the Brussels sprouts, cut off the stem, and slice each bulb into 4 wedges. You want small pieces so they crisp nicely without having to truly fry them.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and let the oil heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and 1 minced clove of garlic. Stir occasionally. You want to keep the Brussels sprouts from burning and let them cook evenly but want to let them saute in one place long enough to get crisp on the outside.

Saute for about 2 minutes and then add the coriander and mix in. After about another five minutes, also add the barberries/cranberries. (Use barberries if you can find them, but if, like me, you can't, then substitute dried cranberries.)

Continue to let the Brussels sprouts saute for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft on the inside but crisp on the outside.

Remove the Brussels sprouts from the heat and serve with the garlic yogurt mixed in or on the side.