Usually around this time of year, I start a series of posts called “Summer Food.” But what makes a dish summer food? For me, it should be simple, fresh, light on oil and fat, and—most of all—bring summer to mind. Boston’s summer arrives a little late, but it is finally here, along with a chance to get our hands on some wonderful fish. This time, I found swordfish that was freshly caught—or at least I choose to believe it was. I’m serving it with an unusual kind of pasta…
Swordfish is often described as an oily fish, although it is much less oily than salmon or smelt. Its flesh is pale and slightly translucent when raw, then turns opaque as it cooks. You may also come across pumpkin swordfish, whose orange hue comes largely from a diet rich in shrimp and other prey. Its meaty texture and distinctive flavor have made swordfish a favorite in restaurants, and its firm flesh stands up well to grilling, searing, and skewering. Unlike the delicate flakes of many fish, swordfish has large muscle groups and a texture closer to tuna than salmon. That makes it a natural choice for steaks, chops, and kebabs. There is one important caveat: large, long-lived fish can accumulate mercury. The FDA advises young children, pregnant women, and women who may become pregnant to avoid swordfish. For the rest of us, an occasional serving can fit into a varied diet. With that in mind, here’s what we’ll need:
- 2 1/2 lb swordfish steaks
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 mango
- 1 jalapeño
- Mint (or cilantro)
- 2 limes
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 poblano pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: tequila
Start by peeling the mango. In the past I suggested scoring the mango in a crisscross pattern and turning it inside out. It looks fancy, but it’s messy and not especially useful. Peeling and cutting the mango is faster, cleaner, and neater.
Cut along the sides of the pit.
Scrape the remaining flesh from around the seed.
Dice it into small pieces. And yes, my pinky is wandering into the frame again. Oh well…
Use a scraper to scoop the mango into a bowl.
Take the onion… Well, it’s actually a shallot. The onion in the ingredient photo didn’t look very good, and a shallot was all I had. Let’s agree not to make a big deal of it and carry on.
Cut it horizontally and vertically…
…then dice it and send it to the bowl.
Cut the jalapeño lengthwise. Be sensible about the heat and use as much as you can handle. It won’t be too spicy… (Hahaha. Right!)
We’ll char one half over an open flame.
Seed the other half
and dice it.
Do the same with the charred half.
Now cut the poblano in half lengthwise.
Julienne the pepper—that’s fancy talk for cutting it into sticks.
Dice it… Note to self: focus on the food, not my hands. Into the bowl it goes.
Add the lime zest and finely chopped mint to the bowl.
Then squeeze in the lime juice.
Mix well.
Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. I used only salt this time; the jalapeño had already brought enough heat. Transfer the salsa to another bowl and set aside about 1 cup.
Using a blender—or a heroic amount of elbow grease—turn the salsa into a purée.
A purée like this. It will become part of the marinade… Actually, it is the marinade.
If the mango isn’t very sweet, add a little sweetness with Demerara sugar or, even better, agave syrup. The sugars will caramelize and bring a lovely depth of flavor.
Add some oil.
Dilute the mixture with a little water, then reserve 1/2 cup. Why? You’ll see…
Add the swordfish steaks.
Toss the steaks to coat them well. Let them marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. The marinade is quite acidic, so a longer soak can make the fish too firm.
In the meantime, we’ll make the “pasta”—or whatever you’d like to call it. Cut off the ends of the zucchini.
Cut the zucchini lengthwise.
Scoop out the seeds.
Use a vegetable peeler to cut the zucchini into thin strips. They look a lot like linguine.
It takes a little work, and there’s no real shortcut, but it’s worth the effort. The zucchini has a distinctive texture when prepared this way.
Add some salt. Besides seasoning the zucchini, the salt draws out moisture and softens it, giving the ribbons a flexible, almost al dente texture rather than the crispness of raw zucchini.
After 10 minutes in the refrigerator, you can see how much the zucchini has softened and shrunk—almost by half.
Now for the swordfish. Oil the pan generously and let it get very hot; we want a good sear.
Add the swordfish and let it sizzle. Cook for 3 minutes.
Flip the first steak.
Flip the second steak. That deep mahogany color might look like a burn, but it isn’t. The sugars from the mango and agave are caramelizing, giving the fish its dark, glossy crust.
While the fish cooks, bring the reserved 1/2 cup of marinade and 1/2 cup of water to a boil. I know, the recipe is getting a little complicated, but the zucchini deserves a sauce of its own.
After the mixture has boiled for about 3 minutes and the fruit and vegetables have softened, strain them.
Press the solids to get all that good flavor out.
Return the liquid to the pot and reduce it to a light syrup. This is where my commitment to food photography becomes physically awkward: just look at the bizarre angle my arm had to take to capture the action. Now for the flambé. We’ll deglaze the pan the swordfish was cooked in, but first, a few important safety steps:
- Clear the area above the pan. Keep towels, hands, faces, and eyebrows away.
- Keep a lid larger than the pan nearby, along with tongs, in case you need to cover the pan.
- Know where your fire extinguisher is.
- Turn off the heat.
- Measure a shot of tequila (or another spirit) into a small cup, then add it to the pan with the burner off. Keep the bottle away from the flame.
- Wait a few seconds for the initial sizzle to subside.
- Carefully ignite the pan with a long match or lighter, standing back.
- Keep the burner off and let the alcohol flame burn out. Do not relight the burner while flames are present.
- If you take a photo, do it from a safe distance; your eyebrows do not need another cameo.
- Wait until every flame is out before moving the pan or continuing.
Here’s the flambé in action (step IX).
Once the flames die out, pour the dark pan juices into the syrup. It may look dramatic, but it tastes wonderful. Boil the mixture until it thickens a little more. The flavor is complex: dark caramel, fish, sweet and tart, spicy, and salty all at once. It’s a party.
When the sauce reaches a light syrup consistency, pour some onto a plate and coat the bottom.
Arrange the zucchini on top.
Set the swordfish on top.
Finish with a couple of spoonfuls of salsa. Let a little spill over the sides; it looks delightfully unplanned.
Garnish with a mint leaf.
It’s a great dish and (more or less) easy to make. You can also tuck the same ingredients into taco shells for a wonderful fish taco: zucchini instead of lettuce, then salsa and fish. Summer, you’re welcome!
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