June 23, 2014 Lunch Taj Mahal Dinner Grilled Swordfish Steak with steamed string beans and Béarnaise Sauce and Cod pasta

June 23, 2014 Lunch  Taj Mahal   Dinner  Grilled Swordfish Steak with steamed string beans and Béarnaise Sauce and Cod pasta

I had lunch with Aaron and Chuck at Taj Majal.  I loved the chicken Tikki Marsala and Saag and today there was fresh baked Garlic Culcha and our waiter served us cups of the mango custard with a sprinkle of colorful ground green pistachios on top.

When I arrived home after lunch I thawed a .6 lb. Swordfish steak I had bought at Sprouts last week for $8.99/lb., when I also bought fresh green beans for $1.99.  I like to pick the haricot vert from among the beans so these beans were lovely and still very fresh and crisp.

For dinner I suggested grilled swordfish and steamed string beans.  We were trying to decide what starch to add to the menu when Suzette suggested, “Let’s use up the PPI Cod spaghetti dish we had made last night.

So I de-stemmed he green beans and Suzette fried the pasta in a skillet with a bit of butter in its white wine sauce and then grilled the swordfish.  When the swordfish came off the grill we found out that it was not fully thawed so we had to put it in the microwave for a minute.  I had removed the Béarnaise Sauce from the fridge and warmed it on the stove by setting it between the steamer and the pasta skillet for five minutes. 

When the swordfish was fully cooked Suzette cut it into four pieces, piled a mound of pasta in each pasta bowl and leaned the pieces of swordfish filet against each other on top of the pasta and we each garnished our bowl with steamed string beans and then a dollop of béarnaise sauce on top of the string beans and the swordfish.

    

Swordfish has a slightly dry in texture and rather bland in flavor, so the Béarnaise Sauce gives it that bit of creaminess and tart flavor that moistens its texture and adds flavor to it.  The pasta dish included a sliced artichoke heart, roasted red bell pepper, Roma tomatoes, onion, garlic, and cod, so it was a pretty rich dish that enhanced the overall flavor of the dish also.

I fetched a bottle of 2013 Egerun Tempranillo Rosé (Total Wine $6.99) and we had a lovely meal under the gazebo by the pond in the garden.  The pasta tasted far better tonight, perhaps because its flavors had time to blend or perhaps because being sautéed in butter integrated its flavors. Any way it was great and far better than last night.  The Eguren rosé was fruity and slightly sweet, but with that hearty flavor of the tempranillo grape from the fields of northern Spain. 

I will mention it again because it is worth mentioning that you want to drink the youngest rosé available, because it loses its fruitiness quickly after it is bottled.  The freshest rosés available now are the 2013’s.

After dinner Suzette had a slice of her lovely apricot Tart with vanilla ice cream.  I had another glass of rosé and later a bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce.  

Bon Appétit