Growing up in Japan, so close to Minamata Bay, swordfish was off the menu for many years. Because of that, I rarely think to cook with it and, when I do, it always feels like special treat. I bought the fish above because it was advertised as harpoon caught swordfish which I imagined would be particularly delicious - and it was.
Because swordfish is so dense and meaty, it needs strong flavors that will stand up to it so the inspiration recipe below sounded delicious. I also happened to have some incredibly fragrant black peppercorns from Madagascar that I was dying to try and which certainly added to the dish (but any cracked pepper will do). and Aleppo pepper is always delicious because of the subtle floral heat that it brings to the table.
4 swordfish fillets (mine were 8oz each and 1 inch thick)
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsps butter
2 tsps olive oil
Juice from one lemon
Preheat oven to 400. Place a cast iron or oven safe skillet in the oven to heat up as it heats.
Mix the peppers, Chinese five spice and salt together in a bowl. Sprinkle over the swordfish, pressing spices in well and make sure that all sides are covered in spice.
Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt completely and froth up before adding the swordfish fillets. Allow the fish to cook without disturbing it for 3 minutes.
Turn over the fillets. Add the olive oil to the now nutty brown butter in the pan; this will keep it from burning or taking on a deeper color.
Remove the skillet from the stove top and gingerly return the very hot pan to the oven to cook the fish for an additional 9 minutes. At the halfway mark, baste the top with the butter and fish juices that have accumulated in the pan.
Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven. Squeeze the lemon juice into the butter sauce and baste the fillets generously once again.
This goes well with polenta, couscous into which the remaining pan juices have been stirred or even with a simple green salad on the side.
Inspiration recipe, here.