Swordfish with capers, olives and tomatoes (pesce spada alla ghiotta)

This brings together lovely seared fish steaks, beautiful sweet pomodorini, cherry tomatoes, that become super juicy and they burst in your mouth, a little heat from chillies, capers for that briny salty little hit, and these gorgeous earthy olives.

Credit: Bonacini's Italian Christmas Special

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 800 g - 1 kg (1.8 - 2.2 lbs) swordfish fillets (approximately 6 large fillets)
• ½ cup (125 ml) olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup mixed green and black olives
• ¼ cup capers
• 2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock
• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) butter
• Chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

1. Season swordfish fillets with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 1½ tbsp (30 ml) of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan (skillet) over medium-high heat. Cook swordfish until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes each). Remove fillets from pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and heat over medium-high, then add garlic, cherry tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and blistered. Reduce heat to low, then add olives, capers and chicken stock and cook for 8-10 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low and mix in butter. Add swordfish back to pan, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes.

5. Put one fillet on each serving plate, pour a generous amount of sauce over top, and garnish with chopped parsley.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.