Swordfish with Green Chili Paste

Fresh Swordfish is delicious and healthy but this recipe can easily be adapted to accommodate different ingredients. You can use almost any firm fleshed fish, such as striped bass, cod, halibut, salmon, or sea bass. You can also make it vegetarian and add cubes of extra firm tofu, chickpeas, or just a bunch of fresh vegetables. Coconut milk and its fat is nature's miracle food, it has antimicrobial properties capable of killing disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Don't buy low-fat coconut milk, the unique group of saturated fat in coconut is similar to that in human breast milk.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons green curry paste (see below)
1 tablespoon oil (coconut, canola, peanut, or olive oil)
1 red onion, large dice
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 ½ pounds swordfish, skin and bones removed
¼ cup fresh cilantro or basil

Directions:

(1) In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat.
(2) Add red onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes
(3) Stir in the green curry paste and coconut milk
(4) Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavors
·(5) Add green beans and cook for 2 minutes
(6) Add the swordfish and simmer gently until opaque throughout, about 6 minutes
(7) Stir in cilantro or basil just before serving, and taste for seasoning

Note:
Serve over hot brown basmati rice

Green Curry Paste

Ingredients:

4 jalapenos, seeded and minced or 1 green bell pepper, seeded and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch knob of ginger root, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
2 inch piece fresh lemon grass (white part only), peeled and minced or the grated zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup water

Directions:

(1) Place all ingredients in blender, puree for 30 seconds
(2) Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes

Note:
If you are not using all the mixture in your recipe you can store it in a jar for a few weeks.

* Jennifer Columbo is a chef of natural cuisine and owner of the private cooking party and catering business, Naturally Jeni.