Seared Swordfish with Red Cabbage Gremolata

This recipe was inspired by Athena Calderone’s (of Eyeswoon) swordfish and salsa verde recipe. I have a copy of Athena’s cookbook Cook Beautiful which I absolutely love and keep at the top of my favorite cookbook stack on my kitchen table. I’ve been eyeing this recipe since I first spotted the making of this meal on Athena’s instagram (@eyeswoon) story and knew I’d make this one day. Well today was the day and let me tell you, it’s everything I thought it would be and more.

I’m not going to lie - this was my first time cooking with swordfish and I quickly decided that it won’t be my last. The meaty texture is like a cross between chicken and pork. So tender. So juicy. So delicious. So easy to cook.

The star of this meal though is by far the glistening gremolata that sits piled high on top of the fish. If you don’t know, gremolata is basically a mixture of herbs, garlic, lemon and olive oil. Similar to a chimichurri or pesto but with a bit more crunch, this take on a herby salsa is delicious. I decided to try something a bit different and swapped the fennel for red cabbage, which is packed with nutrients and has many health benefits. Not to mention the purple color is beautiful in this dish. I also added raw leeks to the herb-cabbage mixture and left out the parsley.

Once you taste the perfect balance of flavors in this gremolata, you’re going to want to top it on everything…or just eat it straight from the bowl. I did :)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 swordfish steaks

• 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp avocado oil (to sear fish)

• 6 yellow golden potatoes

• 1/4 of a red cabbage

• 1 cup tarragon

• 1 cup marjoram

• 1 shallot

• 1 large garlic clove

• 1 leek

• zest of half a lemon

• juice from half a lemon

• good quality extra virgin olive oil (for gremolata)

• red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar will do)

• salt and pepper

• dollop creme fraiche

• 1-2 tbsp butter

• 1/4 cup half and half

Instructions:

1. Start by peeling your potatoes and cutting them into quarters. Fill a pot of water just above the potatoes and season generously with salt.

2. Let’s go ahead and season the swordfish steaks at this time. You want to get a good seasoning of salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.

3. While the potatoes start to cook, finely chop the main ingredients for the gremolata: red cabbage, herbs, shallot, leek and garlic. You want to think of getting this mixture into a consistency similar to that of a pico de gallo so there’s substantial crunch.

4. Add all the gremolata ingredients you just chopped into a medium bowl and mix in the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, vinegar, salt and pepper. The mixture should be glossed over and well-coated with olive oil so if you don’t have that pretty sheen drizzle in more oil until you get a good coat. Taste the mixture and see if you need to add more acidity or salt. It’s all about a balance of flavors here.

5. Potatoes should be fully cooked by this time. You’ll know they’re ready when you stick a fork or knife into a potato and it slides through without effort. Drain the water and mash your potatoes, adding the half and half, butter, salt and pepper. Continue to mix until soft and fluffy. Cover with the lid and set aside.

6. It’s time to heat up the oils to sear the swordfish steaks. You want this on medium-high heat. Make sure to give it a good minute for the oil to get hot before you add the steak. You should get an immediate hard sizzle once the fish hits the pan. Let the steaks sear untouched for a good 2-3 minutes then flip on the other side and sear for an addition 2 minutes. You want a nice brown color.

7. Now you’re ready to plate. I like to start with a nice serving of mashed potatoes. Place the swordfish on top of the potatoes, adding a dollop of creme fraiche and finishing off with a heap of the cabbage gremolata mixture. Enjoy!