- Prep Time: 15 min.
- Cook Time: 15 min.
- Yield: 4 servings
About Swordfish Veracruz
This is my twist on a traditional Mediterranean dish. I added one tomatillo for a little tang, used Greek Kalamata olives, a touch of jalapeño pepper (for a little heat), and canned, fire-roasted diced tomatoes in order to add smokiness while saving time.
Green Spanish olives are nuttier and are more traditional in the western Mediterranean region.
Any meaty white fish will work for this recipe. Swordfish, shark steaks, marlin, or halibut are equally suitable. I find that the dense flesh of the swordfish holds up beautifully to poaching in the tomato sauce.
I love one-pan meals, so for this recipe, I cooked the whole dish in a very large sauté pan. Make the sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to a day, if you desire.
Lastly, don’t skimp on the quality or amount of olive oil, and use only fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, very finely chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, smashed with the flat blade of a knife, and minced
- 3 thin slices of jalapeño pepper
- 20 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 10 green Manzanila olices, pitted and sliced
- 1 tomatillo, peeled and diced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) of diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- juice of one lemon
- rind of 1 lemon, grated on a rasp
- 1 tablespoon of oregano
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 (1.5 pounds) 1/2-inch-thick swordfish steaks
- 1/2 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Remove the papery skin from the tomatillo. Hack! Quarter the tomatillo, place the quarters in a microwave-proof cup, and cover with water.
- Heat in the microwave for about 2–3 minutes, or until the water is steaming. Remove the cup from the microwave and let it cool until you can handle the fruit, then remove the peel and dice the flesh.
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook until the onion is transparent and soft.
- Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, tomatillo, jalapeño, and white wine.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the oregano, olives, and lemon juice. Stir, then add salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Add the swordfish steaks, moving the sauce around so that the fish steak sinks deep into the pan. Cover and cook for 4 minutes. Flip the steaks and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon rind.
- Immediately plate the swordfish on individual dinner plates, top with a generous portion of the sauce, and serve.
- Serve with wilted greens, such as kale or spinach, and rice pilaf, quinoa, or couscous.
Enjoy with a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris.
