Adobong Swordfish

As with my daughter, Liane, the making of this adobong swordfish was purely accidental. When I found out I was pregnant at twenty, my initial reaction was, “Ohhh, shit!”. Then I saw her and knew she was the best thing that could ever and will ever happen in my life.

I started out with intentions to replicate the ginataang tuna my blogger friend, Gay, was serving at her A Scientist in the Kitchen webspace. I had the swordfish steaks already simmering in the soy sauce mixture when my door bell rang to announce a visitor. Thinking it was our neighbor ringing to borrow sugar or eggs or milk, I opened our door a crack.

There standing was a nondescript young man wearing an equally nondescript white shirt and black tie. Hmmm, Jehovah’s witness? I opened my door wider. Behind him was a vacuum. Huhhh? I unwelcomingly tried to close my door. He wedged his foot in between. “Ma’m, we are providing free carpet cleaning in your community.” Free, he got my attention. “I don’t have to buy anything at all?”. Well-trained spiel, “No Ma’m. We just want to show you how good our product works. But you are in no obligation to buy.” I motioned him in. He swiped his machine a few times here, a couple of times there. He handed me a filter paper, “Look at all the dirt on your carpet. You know what lives there? Dust mites.” I was duly impressed. “How much?”, I asked. “$1,685.00.” Whaaat? “But the company will finance you and will take your old vacuum as a downpayment.” In five minutes flat, he was out of my house. Kirby vacuums, he pitched, last a lifetime. Well, it should. It cost $1,680 more than what I have already saved up for retirement.

I trodded on my half-vacuumed carpet back to my kitchen and found my swordfish steak all caramelized with the soy-sauce mixture. Ohhh, shit! Then I took a piece and tasted the best dish of fish north and south of Norwalk.

Makes 4 Servings

4 swordfish fillets, around 4 to 5 oz each
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 soy sauce
1/2 onion, finely sliced
5 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 thumb-sized ginger, finely sliced
1 to 2 pcs bay leaf
2 tbsps vegetable oil
salt
freshly-cracked pepper
chili pepper, optional

In a pot, heat oil. Saute onions, ginger and garlic, until aromatic.

Pour in vinegar and soy sauce. Allow to boil until slightly concentrated, around 3 to 4 minutes. Gently add fish steaks. Season with freshly-cracked pepper to taste. Add chili pepper, if desired.

Cover and simmer until fish flakes easily with a fork and sauce is reduced to almost dry. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot with steamed rice.

 

Fish and Seafood Recipes in The CookMobile Archive:

Inihaw na Tanigue (Broiled King Mackarel Steak)

 

 

 

Shrimp and Vegetable Soup