Ingredients
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Swordfish
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4 swordfish steaksask for steaks cut from the mid-loin and all bloodline removed
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Moroccan spice mixor use store bought variety
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Vegetable Oil
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sea salt flakes
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pepper grinder
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Polenta
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1 small onionfinely diced
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2 cloves Garlic
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1.5 cups polenta
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1.5 cups Milk
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2.5 cups Fresh Cream
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2 tablespoons Parsleychopped
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3 tablespoons parmesan cheesefreshly grated
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White Wine
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sea salt flakes
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pepper grinder
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Yoghurt
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3/4 thick European style yoghurt
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1/2 Lebanese cucumber
Directions
This recipe is a wonderful marriage of flavours and cultures.
Some will claim swordfish, is a very boring fish, and in all honesty it is a bit simple on its own. However it is that simple flavour that I find so appealing about swordfish, it can be turned into virtually any style of recipe you want. Some fish, salmon for instance, is a beautiful fish but due to its rich distinct prominent flavour it is not as versatile as our humble sword. Imagine either fish with a nice herbed pilaf and a classic beurre blanc, but don’t try putting both into a salty sweet Chinese stir fry.
In this recipe I have used a tender piece of sword as a platform to get across some very distinct Moroccan flavours, served it on some soft polenta, topped it with some Greek inspired cucumber mint yoghurt and dressed it all with a unique coriander and caraway oil dressing.
Swordfish
- Best if marinated at least 24 hrs in advance.
- Mix some salt and pepper into the Moroccan spice mix.
- Rub each one of steaks with a fair bit of the mix on both sides and then place them into a shallow dish of vegetable oil, ensuring they are completely covered with the oil, place in refrigerator for at least 24 hrs.
Yoghurt
- Combine the yoghurt, cucumber, mint, coriander and a touch of salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Dressing
- Toast the caraway seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
- In a food processor blend the seeds until broken, add the coriander leaves, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and process on high whilst slowly pouring in some olive oil until a nice glossy green consistency.
Polenta
- Warm the milk and cream together in a medium saucepan over low heat.
- In a medium to large saucepan sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until soft and translucent.
- Turn the heat up to high and evaporate a good splash of white wine in the saucepan.
- Once most of the wine has disappeared add half the cream and milk and bring to the boil, stir in the polenta and reduce to a simmer and continue to stir.
- As the polenta becomes hard to stir, slowly add in some more cream and milk and continue to stir.
- Taste the polenta as you cook it and once the texture is smooth and no longer granular, stir in the parmesan cheese, parsley and season to taste.
- Unless you prefer your polenta quite sloppy and creamy you should have a bit of milk and cream left over.
Final Preparation and Assembly
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit).
- Remove the fish from the marinating oil and allow them to drain briefly.
- In a non-stick fry pan sear the swordfish steaks for a minute on each side and transfer them to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile return the polenta to low heat, stir in some more cream and milk if required.
- Arrange the polenta evenly in the centre of the plates, place the sword fish on top of the polenta, dollop a tbsp of the yoghurt mix on the fish and then drizzle some of the dressing over it all, allowing some to pool around and the polenta.
