Seared Swordfish Steak with Spicy Veg

Seared swordfish steak is served on a bed of spicy stir fried potatoes and peppers

Swordfish is something that is becoming more popular in our supermarkets in recent times. It is very similar to tuna in many ways and should largely be cooked in the same way. That means that, above all, it must not be overcooked or it will be dry, tasteless and extremely unappetising. This recipe sees the swordfish loin fillet steak seared in a very hot pan, leaving it nice and pink in the middle, before it is served as part of a very tasty dinner indeed with stir fried peppers and potatoes.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ready in: 35 min
Serves: 1 person

Ingredients

Peppers and garlic ready for stir frying

1 baking type and size potato
Salt
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 large red chilli pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika/pimenton
Black pepper
Vegetable oil
6 ounce swordfish loin steak

Directions

Stir frying seasoned peppers and garlic

Wash the potato but don't peel it and chop it in to 1 inch chunks. Put the chunks in to a pot of cold, salted water and bring the water up to a simmer for about twenty minutes or until the potato pieces are just softened. Drain through a colander at your sink and briefly set aside to steam off, dry out and partly cool.

Seed the bell pepper halves and chop in to 1/4 inch strips. Cut off and discard the chilli top before slicing thinly in to discs. Peel and thiny slice the garlic cloves.

Bring a couple of tablespoons of oil up to a high heat in a small, non-stick frying pan and fry the peepers and garlic for two or three minutes, seasoned with salt, pepper and the smoked paprika/pimenton.

Swordfish steak is laid in hot frying pan

Add some oil to a similar pan and bring it up to a very high heat. Season the swordfish steak on both sides with salt and pepper and lay it in the pan to fry for around one and a half minutes on its first side.

Boiled potatoes are added to stir fried peppers

Add the potatoes to the pan with the peppers and continue to stir fry.

Swordfish is turned in the pan to fry on second side

Turn the swordfish steak to fry for a similar length of time on its second side.

Stir fried veg bed for swordfish

Use a slotted spoon to lay the peppers and potatoes in the base of a deep serving plate before laying the swordfish fillet on top.

Enjoying seared swordfish with stir fried veg

Swordfish Steak on Fusilli Pasta Salad

Seared swordfish steak is served on a warm fusilli pasta salad

Swordfish is a beautiful eating fish, not dissimilar to tuna. It is not however always easy to get hold of and even where it is available, care should be taken to ensure the fish comes from a sustainable source. If you're buying swordfish in the United Kingdom, this is easily checked by looking in your supermarket or fishmonger's for the blue tick of the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) which signifies compliance with this important factor.

The most important thing to remember when cooking swordfish is that it must never be overcooked. In a similar way to both tuna and salmon, it is served and enjoyed at its best when still slightly pink and ostensibly underdone in the centre. Cook it too much and it will become dry and overly flaky.
  

Simple Mediterranean style salad ingredients

Ingredients per Person

1 swordfish steak
1 medium tomato, seeded and finely diced
2 inch piece of cucumber, seeded and finely diced
3 large basil leaves, finely sliced (2 for salad and 1 to garnish)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for frying swordfish
Salt and pepper
4 ounces dried fusilli pasta

Simple salad prepared for fusilli pasta

Directions

Begin by assembling the salad to give the flavours maximum infusion time. The tomato, cucumber, basil, garlic and olive oil are all combined in a bowl with some seasoning. Cover with clingfilm until required.

Fusilli pasta

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta, stir well but briefly and simmer for around ten minutes or until al dente.

Fresh swordfish steak

When the pasta is almost ready, drizzle some olive oil in to a small frying pan and bring it up to a high heat. Season the swordfish steak on both sides with salt and pepper and lay it in the hot pan.

It is important to watch the swordfish cook if it is to be cooked correctly. The time it will take to cook will depend upon the thickness of the steak. What you are watching for is the steak appearing to have cooked one-third of the way up the side. At this stage, it should be turned to cook a third of the way up the other side. This thin steak required only about one minute on each side.

Pan searing a swordfish steak

When the swordfish has been turned, drain the pasta through a colander at your sink and return it to the empty pot. Add the prepared salad and stir well with a wooden spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required before stirring again.

Salad is added to drained fusilli pasta

Spoon the pasta in to a deep serving plate to form an effective bed for the swordfish.

Fusilli pasta salad is plated to form a bed for the swordfish

Lift the swordfish on to the fusilli bed, scatter with the remaining basil strips and serve immediately.

Swordfish steak is laid on fusilli pasta salad