When I think of swordfish, I am always reminded of when my brother was a little boy and my mother took us to Paddy’s Clam House, a great fish restaurant in New York that used to be a traditional lunch spot for Macy’s shoppers, as it was just down the street. When Michael heard that swordfish was on the menu he ordered it without hesitation but when the large flat fish steak arrived, he was visibly disappointed, immediately asking where the sword was. Thirty years later, I had the good fortune to be present to prevent his son’s meeting the same fate. When Alexander ordered the swordfish, I said to him, “Wait! I bet you’re ordering it for the sword....” His incredulous response: “How did you know?”

No little boy would ever be disappointed by this swordfish recipe as it is served skewered on a “sword.” (Although I’m certainly not recommending leaving it on the plate for them to play with.) But of course this is a recipe for children and grown-ups alike and is ideal for Mother’s Day as children will take so much pleasure in helping to prepare it. The tangy orange/soy marinade, which was inspired by a dish served at Wilkinson’s restaurant in New York, makes the fish wonderfully moist and tender. If you don’t have a charcoal grill, the fish is also delicious broiled.