Grilled swordfish steaks topped with a bright Sicilian salsa of tomatoes, capers, and olives.
Sicilian cooking leans heavily on grilled fish paired with punchy, briny toppings, and swordfish is a favorite because its firm, meaty texture holds up well on the grill. This dish keeps the fish simple β just olive oil, salt, and quick high heat β and lets a fresh tomato, caper, and olive salsa do the flavor work. The salsa comes together while the grill heats, so by the time the swordfish is done, the tomatoes have had a few minutes to release their juice and mingle with the olives and capers into a loose, chunky sauce that's spooned generously over the hot fish.
Serves 4
Pat swordfish dry, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes.
Combine tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and zest, and 2 tbsp olive oil in a bowl. Season lightly and let sit while the grill heats.
Grill swordfish over high heat, 3-4 minutes per side, until opaque throughout and lightly charred.
Swordfish overcooks fast β pull it as soon as it flakes easily.
Let the fish rest 2 minutes off the grill.
Spoon the tomato-caper-olive salsa generously over the grilled swordfish and serve immediately.
Buy swordfish steaks at least 2cm thick so they don't dry out on the grill.
Let the salsa sit at least 10 minutes before serving so the tomatoes release their juices and season the olives and capers.
Oil the grill grates well, not the fish, to prevent swordfish from sticking and tearing.
Use tuna steaks instead of swordfish for a similar meaty texture.
Add chopped Kalamata olives instead of green for a stronger, more assertive flavor.
Finish with a scattering of toasted pine nuts for extra crunch and a nod to Sicilian sweet-savory cooking.
Best eaten fresh; leftover fish keeps 1 day refrigerated but is best served cold over salad rather than reheated.
Swordfish is central to Sicilian coastal cooking, especially around Messina, where it has been a prized catch for centuries; pairing grilled fish with a raw or lightly cooked tomato-caper salsa is a classic southern Italian technique for keeping fish bright and unfussy.
Yes, tuna or a firm white fish like halibut both work well with this same grilling method and salsa.
It was likely overcooked β swordfish needs only a few minutes per side on high heat and dries out quickly if left too long.
Yes, it keeps well for a few hours at room temperature or a day refrigerated, though the tomatoes will release more liquid over time.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) Β· 4 servings total
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