If you’re not familiar with Swordfish, I’ve got a reason for you to try it.
This easy flavorful dish is one of my favorites and with Spring peeking through the last dusting of snow, fresh herbs and lighter dishes are on the menu.
My marinade for this dish was inspired by a ready-made one I found at Whole Foods called Mediterranean Herb and it’s spot-on with flavor balance. Being I made this so many times, I had to make my own marinade to mimic the store bought and it’s equally good…maybe better. ; >
You can grill the fish to add a nice smoky flavor, but I love a good pan sauce. I’ve also made this dish with Salmon and it’s very tasty as well…in fact I can’t decide which I like better! But my original recipe is for Swordfish, so here’s a good reason to try a new fish.
My marinade is super easy, it’s infused with herbs, olive oil, lemon, garlic, parsley, oregano, rosemary, basil, and thyme with the addition of honey. I used a combination of fresh and dried herbs, but if you replace the fresh with dried, use half the amount listed as they are much more potent. The fish only needs 30 minutes to marinate or up to an hour…no longer as the lemon juice will begin to ‘cook’ the fish.
A simple pan sear on both sides, then a splash of wine before transferring the fish to the oven makes this dish super easy. To keep the Mediterranean influence, I added sliced red onions, grape tomatoes, and coarsely chopped spinach before finishing the wine sauce. It comes together quickly, so have the brown rice ready to serve.
Keeping with the Spring theme, serve with roasted asparagus and your favorite white wine for a wonderfully light meal that will dazzle.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 Tbsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tsp fresh chopped basil (1/2 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp fresh chopped Rosemary (1/2 tsp dried)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp fine sea salt and ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 swordfish steaks, ¾" thick 5-6 oz each
- 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter
- ¼ cup sliced red onion
- 12-15 grape tomatoes cut in quarters
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp butter divided
- ½ cup white wine, divided
- Brown rice for serving
- Prepare the marinade ingredients mixing together to combine.
- Rinse the swordfish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Very lightly season the fish with sea salt and pepper on both sides. Place the fish in a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over. Squish around in the bag to coat the fish and squeeze out the air while zipping it closed. Place in the refrigerator for ½ hour – up to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In an oven-proof skillet, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1Tbsp butter and heat over med-high until bubbly hot. Add the swordfish and sear 1½ minutes on one side. Flip and sear another minute on the other side.
- Add ¼ cup white wine and allow to bubble for 1 more minute. Transfer to preheated 375 degree oven and allow to roast for 7-9 minutes, depending on the size of your fillet. Remember it will continue to cook a bit once removed.
- Remove from oven and transfer fish to a plate and tent with foil. Put skillet back on medium heat and add the other ¼ cup wine. Allow to bubble for 1 minute then add the onion and tomatoes and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp butter and swirl around in pan while you add the spinach to wilt. After another minute add the other Tbsp of butter and as it melts turn off the heat. The sauce will be a nice consistency.
- Serve the fish over a bed of brown rice. Pour the pan sauce over the fish allowing the tomatoes , onions, and spinach to drizzle down the sides. Serve with a side of asparagus.
