Janie's Swordfish with Mango Salsa

enter: Grilled Things With Salsa

Summer is upon us. Enter: Grilled Things With Salsa, a food group that I believe deserves it’s own category. If there were awards for this category, Janie’s Grilled Swordfish with Mango Salsa would win gold.

The developer of this work of art is Janie Warnock, one of my best friends and previous roommate of over 3 years in LA. While Janie didn’t cook every night when we lived together, when she did, you knew it was about to go down. She followed a quality over quantity model, which I deeply respect. Janie cheffing was an occasion to rise to. We’ve made (and hosted, shout out Boccaccio) some of the best meals together, so I am honored to feature her recipe this week.

One caveat I will add about swordfish — I wouldn’t recommend eating it more than once a month (and only in the summer) because most swordfish contains high levels of mercury. Most fish contain traces of this heavy metal, but large fish at the top of the food chain like swordfish, mackerel, and tuna contain the highest levels of mercury as it accumulates over their long lifespans and through their diet of other contaminated fish. Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal that can wreak silent havoc on our bodies if left unchecked, causing immune deficiencies, chronic inflammation, leaky gut, allergies, and other conditions. I eat swordfish as a special occasion, and if I’m craving this recipe more often, I sub in another lean, meaty fish such as salmon steaks, halibut, or mahi-mahi. If you already know or suspect you have issues with heavy metal toxicity, I would skip swordfish altogether.

The best part about this recipe is the simple cooking method and the salsa, which will compliment any fish.