SWORDFISH POACHED IN OLIVE OIL WITH BROCCOLI RABE PESTO

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image



Swordfish Poached in Olive Oil with Broccoli Rabe Pesto image

I first had oil-poached fish in Napa Valley and loved the way this cooking method kept the fish so moist; you can't really dry it out. You could prepare halibut or just about any other mild white fish this way. Be sure to use a mix of olive and vegetable oils to poach the fish; if you use 100 percent olive oil it will become too bitter. This is another really good-looking dish, with lots of pretty colors.

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

8 ounces broccoli rabe (about 1/2 bunch), thick stems removed
2 garlic cloves
1 cup toasted walnuts (see Note, page 21)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups olive oil
2 cups vegetable oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless swordfish steaks, each 1-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water and let cool, about 3 minutes. Shake off the excess water and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, walnuts, honey, salt, and pepper and process until very smooth. With the machine running, gradually pour in the extra-virgin olive oil. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Cover and set aside.
  • Combine the olive oil and vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep saucepan big enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Using a deep-fry thermometer, heat the oil to 200°F over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low to sustain the 200°F temperature. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Gently place the fish in the oil, making sure it is submerged. Poach the fish until just cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes.
  • Place about 1/2 cup of broccoli rabe pesto on each serving plate and gently smooth it out to make a bed for the fish. Using a slotted fish spatula, gently transfer the cooked fish from the poaching oil to the serving plate, placing the fish on top of the bed of pesto. Serve immediately.

There are no comments yet!