SICILIAN-BRAISED SWORDFISH
Be sure to catch the recipe for Sicilian-Braised Swordfish after this short précis on swordfish.
OF CHICKEN THIGHS AND T-SHIRTS
Swordfish is seafood’s “chicken thigh” of the kitchen, eminently forgiving and flexible, versatile in almost any way of cooking. Grill it, broil it, roast it, pan-sear it—a steak of swordfish takes all flames. Moreover, like a chicken thigh, it begins and ends its cooking moist and tender (well, if not over-cooked, of course, although even “too long” for most fish or seafood is rare with swordfish).
But swordfish is also the plain white t-shirt of the table. The cook can dress it up; the cook can dress it down. Braising it, as here, in the Sicilian way—on a simmering bed of crushed tomatoes studded with sweet, meaty green olives—dresses it up, fancily and fetchingly. Similarly, because (as a “t-shirt”) swordfish is a blank canvas atop which the cook can paint all manner of flavors, aromas or textures, out of the pantry arrive marinades, spicy sauces, compound butters, tapenades, baking baths, even stews, tagines or curries. Again, cuts or chunks of swordfish remain moist to their end.
Sicilians favor tuna “steaks” over those cut from other seafood—tuna being the island’s quasi-official fin-and-gill—which is why swordfish is a perfect substitute for tuna in any Sicilian recipe. (Mahi-mahi might suffice, too, and for vegans, jackfruit works.) To cook in the Sicilian way takes foodstuffs off the shelves of its extraordinarily multiplex history of conquerors and colonizers: sweet fruit, citrus, saffron and pine nuts from the Arabs, the legumes, olives, grapes and cheeses given it by Greece, tomatoes and peppers from the Spanish, and fresh vegetables, especially the eggplant, from its mother, the Italian Peninsula.
A Sicilian “signature,” for nearly any savory cooking preparation, is its “sweet-sour” edge and envelope—called “agrodolce” in Italian, word-for-word “sour-sweet” or “tart-sweet”—achieved by combining sweetness from honey, sugar, fruit juice or jam with the acidity of citrus juice and zest, some wines, vinegars (balsamic, wine, cider), even tamarind and tart tomato. In a pinch, any cook can “agrodolce” any dish by swirling in 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar per pound of protein, pulse or plant.
A serving of Sicilian-Braised Swordfish.
RECIPE: Sicilian-Braised Swordfish
At base, a Sicilian recipe, with its capers, tomatoes and nuts, although more often made in Sicily itself using tuna “steaks.” Using top-quality swordfish works too; it certainly safeguards against overcooking. Serves 2 as a main course; 4 as an appetizer at room temperature or cool.
Ingredients
2 swordfish “steaks,” each 1-inch thick, each about 1/2-pound
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced or slivered
1 heaping tablespoon salted capers, well rinsed (see note)
1/3 cup mild, pitted green olives such as Frescatrano or Castelvetrano, drained of brine
1 28-ounce jar Italian whole peeled tomatoes, smashed roughly or crushed by hand into a bowl, reserved
1 tablespoon pine nuts, sunflower seeds or pepitas (pumpkin seeds), or a mix, toasted lightly if desired
Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, leaves and fine stems, 2 tablespoons chopped, divided
Directions
Prepare the swordfish: Rinse and dry the fish. Use 1 tablespoon olive oil to lightly brush each side. Liberally season both sides of each fish steak with salt and pepper. In a large skillet (preferably non-stick) or a ridged grill pan, swirl another tablespoon olive oil and, in it, sear the swordfish for 3 minutes on one side (to obtain char marks or color), then 90 seconds on the other side. Set aside on a platter.
Make your bed: In the same pan, over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook the onions for 4-5 minutes until nicely softened, then the garlic for 45 seconds, then add the capers and olives, stirring all well to heat through. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir them in, smashing further any very large chunks. Cook down the tomato mixture for 2-3 minutes, lively simmering it over enough heat to thicken it slightly.
Toss in the seeds or nuts and 1 tablespoon of the parsley, stirring them in. Smooth out the mixture in the pan so that it is flat. Add the 2 swordfish steaks, keeping the browned or charred sides up. Cook the mixture, at a simmer, for 4-5 minutes more, or until the fish feels very firm to the touch or an instant-read thermometer registers 135 degrees when inserted at an angle.
Scoop out each fish steak with a spatula onto a warmed plate and top with the remaining parsley, divided, and a swirl of the olive oil, decoratively delivered. (This preparation also may be served hot or warm, or, especially if as an appetizer, at room temperature or slightly chilled.)
Note: Before using, capers that have been preserved in salt should be well rinsed, in 2 changes of water (in the second, to soak for 15 minutes), and gently squeezed dry. The cook also can ratchet up the Sicilian angle on this preparation by adding 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar and a 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar (or honey) to the crushed tomatoes, thereby adding in a characteristic “sweet-sour” or, in Italian, “agrodolce” energy.
Wine pairings and whys: A certain class of seafood could be called “cows that swim” or “steers with gills.” They’re meaty, fleshy, sometimes rich in fat, can take to a grill and are best served slightly rare at the center. Sounds like a beefsteak because that’s their twin. Swordfish is one such fish; so, too, are mahi-mahi, tuna, bluefish, often salmon. White wines with oomph pair well with these cuts, but they also taste delicious with red wines. The reds need merely be high in acidity and moderate in tannin and alcohol, that’s all. There are many dozens of possibilities worldwide, such as Monterey County Pinot Noir (or many other regions’ Pinots, too), a hefty South African Chardonnay, or a Schiava or Teroldego from Northern Italy.