Swordfish Kebabs with Aioli

I had some Aioli (garlic mayo) left after the Provence class that I taught this weekend, and I was looking for a good use for it that didn't involve bread. Don't get me wrong -- aioli spread on a good toast is pure heaven. But it would take a lot of bread to use up all my aioli, and calories (even consumed in heaven) do count. That's when swordfish came to the rescue. Marinating it in oil is a great trick for making it juicy and tender. And what is mayo, but a whole bunch of oil?

I cut up the fish into cubes, threw in some onion, zucchini, and peppers, poured aioli over the whole thing and mixed it up. Let it sit for half an hour, skewered and broiled. The results were succulent. You couldn't actually taste the mayo -- most of it got caramelized under the broiler giving swordfish and veggies that beautiful glow and gutsy flavor.

When I first heard from a friend about coating swordfish in mayo before cooking, the idea sounded a bit archaic to me. Isn't that what people in the 60's used to do -- drown everything in mayo? But I must confess -- that's not a bad strategy when it comes to swordfish.

Fish substitutions: marlin, mahi-mahi, or any other dense fish

Veggie substitutions: you can use any combination of summer squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, onions, and peppers. For a more exotic twist, add some pineapple.

Serves 4

For Aioli:
1/2 cup mayo (Hellmann’s works great, but don’t use low-fat)
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
Cayenne pepper or hot sauce
Salt

For Swordfish:
1.5 Lb swordfish without skin, cut into 1” cubes
3 cups veggies cut into 1” cubes (see veggie substitutions above)
Salt and pepper
2 tsp chopped rosemary (optional)

1. In a large, non-reactive bowl, mix mayo, garlic, and lemon juice. Season aioli to taste with cayenne and salt. Add swordfish and veggies to aioli, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and mix well. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to broil and wrap the broiler pan with aluminum foil.
3. Put alternating pieces of swordfish and veggies on skewers and place them in the broiler pan. Sprinkle with rosemary.
4. Broil 4 inches from the flame for 4 minutes. Flip the skewers and broil 4 more minutes. To test for doneness, cut into one cube of fish. If only a trace of translucency remains, the fish is done. It will continue to cook after it’s off the heat and will be completely opaque by the time you eat it. Alternatively, you can grill swordfish over high heat for 4 minutes on one side and 4 minutes on another side.