This is the dish at the center of the Already in the Cellar Notebook article. Grilled swordfish steaks served over a bright, briny relish of cherry tomatoes, capers, pickled red onion, and parsley. Simple to build, and more forgiving than it looks.
The one technique note worth flagging before you start: pull the fish a minute earlier than feels right and trust the carry-over. Swordfish holds up to some error, but it's better just tender than slightly past it.
Serves 2 | Easy
The Fish
2 swordfish steaks, about 1 inch thick
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
The Relish
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Combine the sliced red onion and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Press the onion down so it is mostly submerged. Set aside for at least 15 minutes. It will soften and lose its raw edge while you prep everything else.
Pat the swordfish dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Let the fish sit at room temperature while the grill heats.
Heat your grill to high. You want it very hot before the fish goes on. Clean and oil the grates well. Swordfish will stick to a dirty grill.
Drain the pickled onion, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. Combine the onion with the cherry tomatoes, capers, olive oil, and reserved vinegar. Add the parsley and toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt. The relish should be bright and a little briny.
Place the swordfish on the hot grill. Do not move it for 4 minutes. Flip once and grill another 3 to 4 minutes, until the fish is just opaque through and has good grill marks. It is done when it feels firm but not hard to the touch. Pull it just before you think it is ready. It carries over.
Let the fish rest for 2 minutes. Spoon the relish generously over each steak. Finish with flaky sea salt.
What you can do ahead
The relish can be built up to an hour ahead and left at room temperature. The tomatoes will soften slightly and release a little juice, which only improves it.
Did the quick pickle do the job, or did the onion still come through too strong? I'm curious whether the balance landed where you wanted it, and whether you'd adjust the ratio next time.
