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1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1½ pounds swordfish steaks, rinsed and patted dry

Oil for coating grill grate

For the aioli:

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon mustard powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons pitted, chopped green Spanish olives such as arauco, arbequina, or manzanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. For the fish: Combine the lemon juice, rosemary, parsley, mustard, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Spread over the swordfish, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.

2. Rest the fish at room temperature before grilling, about 20 minutes.

3. Heat the grill as directed.

4. For the aioli: Whisk together the egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. When the mixture begins to thicken, whisk in the olive oil in a slow steady stream.

If it gets too thick, whisk in a little water to thin it. Whisk or stir in the chopped olives. (Let stand at room temperature until the fish is cooked. It can also be covered and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.)

5. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the swordfish on the grill, cover, and cook until just a bit filmy and moist in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

6. Serve each swordfish steak with a dollop of the aioli.

Lobster Tails with Garlic-Citrus Butter

Rock lobsters (spiny lobsters) have bigger tails than Maine lobsters, making them perfect for a meal of lobster tail. Butterflying the tails exposes more meat to the smoky flavors of the fire. It also makes a beautiful presentation. If you can’t find rock lobsters for this recipe, use the tails from large Maine lobsters.

TIMING

Prep: 10 minutes

Grill: 8 to 11 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled tongs or long-handled spatula

• Long-handled basting brush

BUTTERFLYING LOBSTER TAILS

Split the lobster tail lengthwise through the rounded top shell and through the meat, but leave the flat bottom shell intact. (If the shell is too hard, use kitchen shears to cut through the shell and a knife to cut through the meat.) Gently open the lobster to expose the meat.

* * *

THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium (350°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, medium ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, medium ash

12-by-12-inch bed, 3 inches deep

Clean, oiled grate set 4 inches above the fire

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)

4 rock lobster tails, 8 to 10 ounces each, thawed if frozen

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, basil, or flat-leaf parsley

Oil for coating grill grate

4 lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Butterfly the lobster tails as directed on the facing page. Brush the meat with the olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper.

3. Mix together the butter, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and remaining

¼ teaspoon pepper in a bowl.

4. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the lobster tails, meat-side down, on the grill and cook until nicely grill-marked, 3 to 4 minutes. It may help to press the tails onto the grill using tongs or a spatula. Flip and grill until the meat is firm and white, basting generously with the garlic-citrus butter, 5 to 7 minutes more.

5. Remove to plates and serve with the lemon wedges and any remaining garlic-citrus butter.

* * *

TIP

• If you want to grill the whole “sea bug” (as lobsters are affectionately called) instead of just the tail, see Lobster Grilled with Seafood Butter (page 221).

Grilled Stuffed Sardines

This recipe, inspired by the Sicilian classic, sarde alla beccafico alla palermitana, is less elegant than its muse (a beccafico is a bird with a reputation of being