Olive Oil Poached Swordfish
OLIVE OIL POACHED SWORDFISH WITH PISTACHIO PISTOU
Ingredients:
4 swordfish steaks, about 1 inch thick
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Bay leaves
Peppercorn
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the pistachio pistou:
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200
Generously season the swordfish with salt and pepper on both sides.
In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic, peppercorn and bay leaves and cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. The temperature should be about 160-175. *When you add the swordfish, the temperature will drop.
Add the swordfish steaks to the skillet, making sure they are submerged in the olive oil.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook for about 30-40 minutes until the swordfish is cooked through and tender.
Meanwhile, make the pistachio pistou by combining the toasted pistachios, roasted garlic, lemon juice, basil leaves, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until a coarse paste forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When the swordfish is cooked, remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool slightly.
Serve the swordfish steaks hot, topped with a spoonful of the pistachio pistou.
As a seafood lover, I’m always looking to perfect different techniques to prepare fish.
I recently procured some beautiful swordfish steaks from Citarella. I normally prefer to use fillets with this technique but steaks work too. The firm white fish is also ideal if you’re a beginner.
Whether you’re using broth, butter, wine or in this case, olive oil, poaching is simple: season the fish, then lower the fish into your seasoned simmering liquid (maintaining the temperature between 150 - 175 °F), cover and cook for about 15 minutes. The result is a lightly infused piece of protein that highlights the beautiful textures of the fish.
This is such a simple way to incorporate beautiful flavors with your favorite seafood. The swordfish was incredibly tender and flavorful, infused with the rich and fragrant olive oil. The delicate and tender swordfish is perfectly complemented by the rich and fragrant olive oil, while the crunchy and nutty pistachio pistou adds a beautiful contrast to the dish.
