Grilled Swordfish, Thai-style
A thick swordfish steak rides atop a shrimp-rice mousse patty that in turn sits atop a bed of sauteed vegetables. The sauce has Thai flavors -- curry, ginger, coconut milk, and pineapple. A spring roll filled with vegetables is the simple accompaniment. Chef Will Greenwood notes that cans of coconut milk often have a thick creamy portion on top, thinning toward the bottom of the can; he prefers to use this thick portion, and save the thin part for other uses.
Ingredients
- Shrimp Mousse
- Shrimp - 1 pound, shelled, cleaned, and slightly frozen
- Pinch of salt
- Egg White - 1
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 2/3 cup
- Basmati Rice - 1 cup, cooked and cooled
- Cloves Garlic - 2, minced
- Ginger - 2 teaspoons, minced
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Thai Sauce
- Olive Oil - 1/3 cup
- Thai red curry - 1 tablespoon
- Ginger - 2 teaspoons, minced
- Clove Garlic - 1, minced
- Coconut Milk - 12 ounces
- Pineapple - 1/4, cut in 1/4-inch dice
- Tomato - 1 large, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
- Sauteed Vegetables
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Bean sprouts - 1-1/2 cups
- Snow Peas - 6 ounces, julienned
- Red Bell Pepper - 1/2, peeled, seeded, and cut in fine julienne
- Cilantro Leaves - 3, minced
- Clove Garlic - 1, minced
- Salt to taste
- Basil oil
- Basil - 2 cups, stemmed
- Olive Oil - 1 cup
- Spring rolls
- Rice paper wrappers - 4 sheets
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons, melted
- Enoki Mushrooms - 1 cup, cleaned
- Carrot - 1, pared and cut in fine julienne
- Bok Choy - 1/2, julienned
- Cilantro Sprigs - 1, stemmed
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Swordfish steaks - four, 8-ounce
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Thai red marinated ginger - 3 tablespoons, julienned
Instructions
To make the shrimp mousse: In a processor, pulse the shrimp until roughly pureed, then add the salt, egg white, and cream and process to a thick paste. Stir in the rice, garlic, and ginger. Use immediately, or set aside in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and place a 4-inch ring mold in the pan. Fill with mousse. After 10 seconds, lift the ring mold. After 30 seconds, lift the mousse cake with a spatula and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to use all the mousse. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
To make the Thai sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Stir in the curry paste until smooth. Cook until intensely fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic, then stir in the coconut milk. Mix, then cook until reduced by one-third. Stir in the pineapple and reduce by one-fourth. Set aside off the heat.
To prepare the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the remaining ingredients. Toss well and saute just until the vegetables start to wilt. Remove from the heat and pile the vegetables into a bowl.
To make the basil oil: Combine the basil and oil in a processor or blender and puree. Put in a squeeze bottle and set aside.
To make the spring rolls: Spread the spring roll wrappers out on a work surface and brush with melted butter. Line one side of each with a few mushrooms, carrot strips, bok choy pieces, and 2 cilantro leaves. Tightly roll once around and gently press the filling out to the ends of the rolls, leaving about 1 inch on each end. Tightly roll the first third of the wrapper. Tuck under the ends, and finish rolling. Film the bottom of a saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Pan-fry the rolls, seam side down, turning when one side is golden brown. Continue turning until all sides are golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
To prepare the swordfish: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Season the swordfish on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof saute pan or skillet over high heat. Add the swordfish and sear on both sides until browned, about 1 minute per side. Put the swordfish in the oven and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until done to taste. Remove from heat.
To serve: Stir the tomato into the Thai sauce and spoon over the bottoms of the warmed serving plates. Divide the vegetable mixture among the plates and put in the center of each. Place a shrimp cake on each mound of vegetables. Put a swordfish fillet on each and top with pickled ginger. Place a spring roll to one side of each plate. Drizzle with basil oil.
