Pan Roasted Swordfish w/ Shrimp Sugo

Ingredients

  • 8 large, shell-on shrimp, peeled & de-veined - shells reserved
  • 2 8-oz swordfish steaks
  • 1 cup canola or grape seed oil
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Herbs & Spices

  • 6-8 pink peppercorns
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2 large sprigs each: parsley, mint, oregano, celery leaves
  • sea salt to taste
  • white pepper to taste

How-to

  1. Peel and de-vein the shrimp, removing the shells to a saute pan. Cover the shells with the oil, add a pinch of salt and cook over a medium heat, and 10-15 minutes stirring them periodically, until they are a rosy pink, translucent, and they release their nutty aroma into the kitchen. Remove the shells from the oil, and set aside
  2. Season the swordfish liberally with salt, then saute in the shrimp-flavored oil for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until the flesh is firm to the touch
  3. Add the shrimp to the saute pan, either whole or chopped, along with the pink peppercorns red pepper and fennel seeds, and cook lightly until half-way done
  4. Remove the pan from heat and let the fish rest for 4-5 minutes
  5. Remove the fish from the pan and add the vinegar and lemon juice to the pan creating the pan sauce (sugo)
  6. Serve the swordfish with the cooked shrimp on top, over fresh greens such as watercress, arugula, radicchio, mustard greens, etc. Tear the herbs and place them on top of the fish and pour the sauce all over the plate

Optional

  • Toss the crispy shrimp shells with some sea salt and ground pink peppercorns for a crunchy garnish

Note

  • Although swordfish is very good in this recipe, sturgeon fillets are even better. Sturgeon is difficult to find, but a good fish monger should be able to special order some of this beautiful fish with a few days notice. Another excellent, and very economical, variation can be done with mako shark substituted for the swordfish