About Arthur: The New York Times Magazine called Arthur Schwartz “a walking Google of food and restaurant knowledge.” As the restaurant critic and executive food editor of the New York Daily News, which he was for 18 years, he was called The Schwartz Who Ate New York. Nowadays, he is best known as The Food Maven, the name of his website. Whatever the sobriquet, he is acknowledged as one of the country’s foremost experts on food, cooking, culinary history, restaurants, and restaurant history.
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1/2 Liter~16.9 ounces, regularly
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Just released. Arthur Schwartz's Newest Cookbook. Available at Amazon and major booksellers everywhere.
Salt-seared Swordfish with Garlic and Mint
Serves 2
You have to love salt and raw garlic to love this dish. You can make it with herbs other than dried mint -- for instance, fresh, finely chopped sage -- but I like the mint best. Coarse sea salt is essential and it's now available in most supermarkets. Condiment quality extra-virgin olive oil and wine vinegar are needed, too. When a dish has so few ingredients, it's particularly important for them to be of the best quality you can afford. If the amount of oil puts you off, relax. Much of it can remain in the serving dish, although I'd sop it up with some bread.
This is one of those fish dishes that goes well with both red and white wines. Any rich, crisp white wine is fine -- such as the Vernaccia di San Gimignano that was this week's Wine Buy of the Week, or a Sauvignon Blanc from either California or France (Sancerre, for instance). If red is your choice, keep it light, such as a Valpolicella from Italy.
6 to 8 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon sieved dried mint (see note)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2, 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick swordfish steaks
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
On a platter, combine the garlic, mint, olive oil and vinegar. Crush the garlic as you blend the raw sauce with a fork.
Cut the skin off the swordfish and discard.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the bottom of a no-stick or cast iron skillet and place over high heat. Don't worry if the salt pops a bit. That's actually an indication that it has gotten hot enough.
When the pan is very hot, place the swordfish on top of the salt and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn the fish and cook another 2 or 3 minutes, or until done to taste.
When the fish is cooked to taste, lift it off from the pan with tongs or a fork and, if desired, brush off any large pieces of salt that still cling to it.
Place the fish on the platter and turn it to coat with the raw sauce. Spoon some of the sauce on top of the fish and serve immediately.
Note: Rub dried mint leaves through a fine sieve to get 1 tablespoon of mint powder.
