Swordfish Siciliana
30 days ago
Skip to recipeIf you’re not big on fish, swordfish is a good option for incorporating more into your diet. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor without that fishy taste. Its meaty texture is more like steak so it can be grilled, broiled or pan seared.
If you're trying swordfish for the first time, this recipe for Swordfish Siciliana is a good entry point. It features Sicilian flavors that many of us love, including onion, tomatoes, olives and fresh herbs.
Preparing the Sauce
Use a well-balanced, sharp knife for cutting the onion. It will slice through it without crushing the cells inside that can cause eye irritation. A 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife is a good choice for the task.
The Santoku-Style Cheese Knife is perfect for cutting the cherry tomatoes in half, thanks to its sharp Micro Double-D™ edge and smaller size.
I used Castelvetrano olives for this dish, which have a mild, buttery flavor. But, you can really choose to use whatever olive you want.
For cutting the fresh parsley and fresh basil, the 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife’s slightly rounded belly, is designed for rock chopping the delicate leaves.
A note of caution when toasting the pignoli (pine) nuts. Keep an eye on them as they can go from brown to burnt very quickly. Also make sure to remove them from the pan when they’re done so they don’t continue to cook. Another option is toasting them in a 350 F oven, but it is easier to see how brown they are on stovetop.
Grilling the Swordfish
Grilling the swordfish is pretty straightforward. Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss onto a hot grill pan (or hot grill) and cook for a few minutes on each side to desired doneness.
Medium-well is the usual point where it’s just cooked through but still juicy, about 135 F. Note, however, that rare swordfish can be rubbery, and overdone swordfish can be pasty and lack flavor.
In addition to being delicious, swordfish is a good lean protein and has those heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
The savory sautéed onion, tomatoes and olive topping and the crunch of the pignoli nuts are the crowning touch for the Swordfish Siciliana. It makes each bite hard to resist.
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup olives of your choice, pitted
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped, plus additional for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus additional for garnish
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chili flakes, optional
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup dry white wine such as Orvieto, pinot grigio or unoaked chardonnay
- 1/2 cup pignoli (pine) nuts, toasted
- 2 portions swordfish
Directions
- Place enough olive oil in a sauté pan to cover the pan surface and put on medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until translucent. Add tomatoes and olives and cook until tomatoes begin to soften. Add parsley, basil, salt and pepper, optional chili flakes, raisins and wine. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook while grilling swordfish.
- Season swordfish with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Preheat grill pan and grill swordfish anywhere from 2-3 minutes per side to desired doneness.
- Garnish with pignoli (pine) nuts and the sauce, along with more parsley and basil if desired.