Swordfish Steaks and Roasted Asparagus Salad

We had friends over for dinner last night and made this meal.  It was REALLY good.   I've made swordfish steaks a few years ago and I remember they were delicious so we finally tried them again.  They were outstanding!  
I first tried the salad last month at my neighbor's house.  I fell in love with it.  It's really easy to make and so pretty.  Thanks Faith for sharing this recipe!

2 swordfish steaks (I got ours at Central Market)
fresh ground pepper
fish seasoning
grapeseed oil
we grilled these on the outdoor grill.  wash the steaks, sprinkled with grilling rub (we use the Williams-Sonoma Grilling Rub for Poultry and Fish), a little fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of grapeseed oil.  all on both sides of the fish.  grill 4 minutes each side.  i bought 2 big steaks and there were 4 of us for dinner so we just cut them in half.
Note:  the hubs actually prepared the fish AND grilled them.  thanks John!
Prep and cook time:  10 minutes


1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pt.)

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 head Bibb lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1 avocado, sliced

 Preheat oven to 425°. Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus; remove scales with a vegetable peeler, if desired.

Stir together 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp. chopped basil, 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a large bowl.
Add asparagus to olive oil mixture, and toss gently to coat. Place asparagus on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake asparagus at 425° for 13 to 15 minutes or to desired degree of tenderness. Cool 10 minutes.
Whisk together balsamic vinegar, garlic, and remaining 7 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. basil, and 1/4 tsp. salt.
Toss together tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar mixture.
Arrange lettuce on individual serving plates. Top with tomato mixture and asparagus. Add avocado just before serving. Drizzle with remaining balsamic vinegar mixture.
Prep time:  20 minutes.
Note: To make ahead, toss together tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion without dressing. Store these ready-to-use ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to five hours. The dressing and asparagus can also be made up to eight hours before serving.

Tip #1:  I'm always afraid to serve fish because I don't make it often.  So, I asked the guy at the fish counter exactly how to prepare the fish, what kinds of white fish he recommends, etc.  He was a wealth of knowledge and I left the store well prepared to make a delicious fish!

Tip #2:  A Pinot Noir really compliments this meal.

Tuna Steaks with Tomato Salad

I've been out of town for a while, but am excited to be home and cooking again!
I made this dinner last night and it was healthy, FAST, and tasty!

2 tuna steaks, fresh from meat counter
pepper and salt
soy sauce

tomatoes
fresh mozeralla cheese
fresh basil leaves, chopped
balsamic vinegarette

wash tuna and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and salt on both sides.  on the top drizzle 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce.  we used the outdoor grill for the tuna steaks.  set at "hot" (according to the hubs), grill on both sides for 1-2 minutes each side.
for the salad, wash and slice tomatoes in big chunks, layer mozeralla, and top with basil and sprinkle with balsamic.  this is such a great salad and SO SIMPLE.
total prep and cook time:  10 minutes max.

TIP:  Make a dish based on what's fresh at the grocery store.   I saw these gorgeous, big, bright red tomatoes at the grocery store and I had to get them!