When I saw swordfish on the list of ingredients for the Tabasco 10 Ingredient Challenge, my mind starting racing with ideas for it. Our recipe index is filled with great ways to cook different varieties of fish, but I wanted something really different this time.
I’m giving you three recipes today! If you aren’t a fish lover, these Sweet and Spicy Marinated Tomatoes are for you. This is one of the most versatile summer vegetable recipes I make.
I’ve tossed them into pastas and salads, served them as a side dish on their own, and I’ve turned them into a bruschetta topping as well. They were delicious as a topping for both of the swordfish recipes.
Basil Crusted Swordfish comes together in just a few minutes and results in a perfectly crisp crust, without drying out the fish at all. The fresh basil flavor really comes through and the hint of heat from the Tabasco works well with it.
This is a great meal to make for 2-3 people, with very little advance planning required.
Spicy Cilantro Grilled Swordfish starts with a simple, fresh marinade and finishes with just 5-6 minutes on the grill. The cilantro and Tabasco flavors aren’t overwhelming and they are a great match for the sweet and spicy tomatoes.
COOK’S NOTE: Feel free to increase the recipe as you like. This is a small batch recipe and it will make plenty of tomatoes for topping the swordfish. We like to snack on the tomatoes though and so, I have doubled and tripled this recipe and it works great. The tomatoes are excellent tossed into salads and served as a side dish as well.
Sweet and Spicy Marinated Tomatoes
Yield: 1 ½ cups tomatoes
(printable recipe)
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large basil leaves, sliced very thin
Combine the tomatoes, Tabasco sauce, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir to coat thoroughly. Add the basil and toss again. Allow to rest on the counter for at least half an hour before serving, or as long as all day, stirring occasionally. The tomatoes will produce more liquid for the marinade the longer they rest. Enjoy!
COOK’S NOTE: For the breadcrumbs, I used 2 thick slices of leftover Brioche, cut into cubes and dried out overnight. A few pulses in the food processor reduced it to crumbs. I recommend “refined” coconut oil for the cooking, because it is both unscented and flavorless. It can also withstand a high temperature for cooking.
Basil Crusted Swordfish
Yield: 2 servings
(printable recipe)
(2) 4-6 ounce swordfish fillets
3 tablespoons light flavored olive oil
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
10 basil leaves, sliced very thin and then minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil, or the cooking oil of your choice
Place the swordfish in a large Ziploc bag. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Seal the bag and press gently to thoroughly coat and distribute spices. Let the fish sit on the counter for 10-20 minutes to absorb the light marinade.
Melt the coconut oil in a large non-stick skillet on the stove, over medium high heat. Stir together the breadcrumbs, basil, and the remaining salt and pepper. Place a few tablespoons of the breadcrumb mixture on a small plate and press one of the fish fillets into the crumbs, turn and sprinkle more crumbs on top as needed. Make sure all sides of the fillet are generously coated. Repeat with the second fillet.
When the oil is hot, add the coated fillets to the hot oil. Cook approximately 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and top with Sweet and Spicy Marinated Tomatoes. Enjoy!
COOK’S NOTE: If you have a mortar and pestle, this is a great time to use it. Muddling the cilantro will release more of the fragrance and oil than simply chopping it. If you don’t have one, don’t stress it, just mince the cilantro and combine with the other marinade ingredients. This recipe can easily be multiplied to serve more people.
Spicy Cilantro Grilled Swordfish
Yield: 2-3 servings
(printable recipe)
2-3 small swordfish fillets, about 1 inch thick
Marinade Ingredients:
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, about 2 tablespoons worth
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the cilantro, 1 tablespoon of oil, the salt and the pepper in a small bowl and muddle to crush and break up the cilantro. Stir in the remaining olive oil and Tabasco sauce. Place the swordfish in a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over it. Seal and gently squeeze to coat. Place in the refrigerator and allow it to marinate for 2- 4 hours.
Preheat the grill to medium high. When the grill is hot, lightly brush oil on the grill grates, so the fish won’t stick to them. Cook the fillets 3 minutes on each side, until the fish is opaque, it shouldn’t be clear at all. Splash with additional Tabasco as desired while grilling. The fish should flake easily with a fork. Take care not to overcook, as the fish will dry out. Remove to a plate and top with Sweet and Spicy Marinated Tomatoes. Enjoy!
Anonymous says
OH MY GOODNESS! I saw "Swordfish" and squealed to myself (I'm alone too). Mary, many thanks for your racing mind! Consider this masterpiece PINNED and SAVED! Have a beautiful day.
Margaret MacKenzie says
Thank you, Mary! I love adding your recipes to my arsenal. I have cherry tomatoes in my garden just screaming for Tabasco and cider vinegar!
Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says
I love sword fish! What a wonderful dinner! I'm lucky enough to have kids and a husband that enjoy seafood too so I'm pinning this one for later! Yum!
Amy @Very Culinary says
You crusted your swordfish. Because when you're smart, you realize that bread can also mean breadcrumbs. So so so smart. And the tomatoes? Like candy! I want all 3, please!
Chris says
I'll pass on the fish, I just don't care for fish. But those tomatoes, those sound fantastic and I bet they would go phenomenally well with Italian grilled chicken!