Day 29 - Fresh

A visit to the Ferry Building Farmer's Market is a dangerous thing for people like me. Meaning, those of us eagerly lured by the fresh fruit samples and willing to pay that extra dollar for the perfect jar of local raw honey and fresh farm cheese. The vendors offer produce and flowers from small regional farmers and ranchers, many of whom are certified organic. Other products include regional artisan specialties such as breads, cheeses and jams. Started as a one-time event in 1992, the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market's popularity led to the opening of a year-round market in May 1993. On Saturdays, 10 - 15,000 faithful shoppers attend the market!

And yes, I ate some oysters while I was there and brought home some local raw honey, fresh goat cheese, heirlooms, green beans, shitake mushrooms, peaches, basil, more veggies and even swordfish. I thought a lot while at the market about what I would be making with all of these beautiful ingredients and one of the things I came up with is an adaptation of a recipe by Giada de Laurentiis.

Swordfish with Citrus Pesto
For the citrus pesto:
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 clove garlic
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan

4 (6-ounce) swordfish steaks (I only used two and I had plenty of pesto leftover for pasta the next day)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, zests, juices, salt, and pepper in a food processor until the mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Mix parmesan into blended mix.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the swordfish fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a 1-inch thick fillet.

Transfer the grilled swordfish to serving plates, top with the citrus pesto, and serve.