Rush-Hour Gourmet

He's been called a seafood genius and labeled the "fish whisperer."

Few, if any, know fish better than chef David Pasternack, partner in Esca, one of Manhattan's most successful seafood restaurants.

From the chef's signature crudo (raw fish) dishes to his Salmon with Figs or the unexpected Spaghetti with Tuna Meatballs, Pasternack's interpretations of dishes savored in Italy - now in his book The Young Man and the Sea: Recipes & Crispy Fish Tales from Esca (Artisan, $35) - will lure many home cooks into their local fish market.

Sicilian-Style Swordfish, for instance, is made in a way the chef first saw used on fish by a home cook in Taormina.

"The bread crumbs soak up all the juices and the olive oil binds them to the fish," Pasternack explains.

(Makes 4 servings)

4 (6-ounce) swordfish steaks, 1 3/4-2 inches thick

(see Note)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt, freshly ground pepper

2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs

2 lemons, cut into wedges

1. Prepare a charcoal fire and heat the grill.

2. Dry the fish with paper towels; brush both sides with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge in the crumbs.

3. Put fish over medium-hot coals; grill until golden, at least 5 minutes per side. If crumbs brown too fast, move fish to a cooler part of grill. The crumbs should be golden brown and the fish just begin to flake when pressed. Serve at once with lemon wedges.

Note: For thicker cuts, ask for two 12-ounce steaks then have them cut in half.

Per serving: 447 calories, 42 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 11 grams fat, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 1,160 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber.

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