Herb-Marinated Swordfish

Updated Aug. 25, 2022

Herb-Marinated Swordfish
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(988)
Comments
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Swordfish steaks are meaty in texture yet delicate in flavor and best when cooked to medium, so that the flesh is firm but still juicy. (Like many proteins, it can get tough if overcooked.) Rather than marinating in advance, here the fish is marinated after cooking: Cooked in a skillet until golden, the steaks are then left to soak up a piquant pan sauce while warm. The sauce imparts the punchy flavors of briny capers and citrus, while the olive oil keeps the steaks moist. Serve with a simple salad or with crusty bread for sopping up the juices.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ¾cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • pounds (1-inch-thick) swordfish steaks (about 3 or 4)
  • Salt
  • 3tablespoons drained capers, plus 1 tablespoon caper brine
  • 2tablespoons lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
  • 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼cup coarsely chopped parsley
  • ¼cup chopped chives
  • Crusty bread, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

652 calories; 53 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 35 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 36 grams protein; 583 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low. Rub 1 tablespoon of the oil all over the swordfish and season with salt. Add to skillet and cook until golden underneath, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until golden underneath and medium throughout (flesh should be opaque, firm and flaky), about 5 minutes longer. Transfer fish to a shallow baking dish.

  2. Step 2

    To the skillet, add the remaining oil and the capers, and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until capers are sizzling vigorously but not browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in caper brine, lemon juice, pepper, parsley and chives. Pour the caper-herb oil over the fish. Let marinate at room temperature, turning once or twice and occasionally spooning the caper oil over the fish, for 15 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Divide fish among plates and drizzle with some of the caper oil. Serve warm or at room temperature, with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Ratings

4 out of 5
988 user ratings
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Comments

It was my first reaction, that it seems excessive. I will try this but with much much less oil...

We would use maybe twice as much oil here in Italy. You don’t need to eat all the oil with the fish (although Italians would, soaking it up in bread); you can save it to use later when making spaghetti con aglio e olio. In markets in Sicily you can buy the olive oil previously used to press and marinate anchovies just for this purpose. It’s called olio colorato or colored.

The worst thing you can do to swordfish is over cook it. 10 minutes per inch of thickness sounds right.

Are capers considered herbs?

Absolutely delicious. Here's what I did for a dinner for 2: 3/4 lb swordfish, 1 inch thick, made as directed and then put into warm oven while I made the sauce. Full amount of sauce; chives not available so I threw in some onion powder and garlic powder. Roasted 1 pound of asparagus and boiled 5 oz of spaghetti. Used sauce on both (plus dabs of butter on both). What a wonderful "think spring" dinner.

Good. Not amazing. But definitely good. Made per recipe (mostly - some green discrepancies). Felt like it needed something - perhaps some extra spice? I was okay with the Olive Oil and all else - sure some got left behind but so what - use less if you wish - doesn't need more.

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