RecipesCooking Techniques

Grilled Swordfish with Carrot-and-Walnut Salsa

Grilled Swordfish with Carrot-and-Walnut Salsa

Steeped in a savory kombu marinade, these swordfish steaks are paired with a nutty, slightly piquant gremolata-like salsa with roasted walnuts and Calabrian chiles.

Ingreadient

Marinated Swordfish

• 1 (5- x 6-inch) kombu sheet
• 1 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
• 1/3 cup sake
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 4 (10-ounce) skin-on swordfish steaks (1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Carrot-and-Walnut Salsa

• 4 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 3 makrut lime leaves
• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole cilantro leaves, for serving
• 1 cup unsalted toasted walnuts, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons jarred chopped Calabrian chiles
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• Lime wedges, for serving

Direction

Marinate the swordfish

1. Bring a small saucepan filled with water to a boil over high. Stir in kombu. Remove from heat; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and chop kombu into 1/2-inch pieces. Whisk together olive oil, sake, lemon zest, and chopped kombu in a medium bowl. Sprinkle swordfish on all sides with salt; place in a shallow dish. Pour marinade over fish. (Fish should be mostly submerged.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.

Make the carrot-and-walnut salsa

1. Toast coriander seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Remove from skillet, and set aside. In same skillet, toast lime leaves over medium, flipping occasionally, until leaves are fragrant and begin to curl up and darken, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside, and let cool, about 2 minutes. (Leaves will crisp as they cool.) Tear out center veins of leaves, and discard; set leaves aside.
2. Crush garlic and salt together into a smooth paste using heel of a knife. Add toasted coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon at a time, gradually chopping them into garlic paste until well incorporated before adding more seeds. Add toasted lime leaves, chopping and crushing until mixture is very fine. (Alternatively, process coriander seeds and lime leaves in a spice grinder until very finely ground before combining with garlic paste.)
3. Stir together garlic paste mixture, cilantro, walnuts, carrots, and lime zest and juice in a large bowl until well combined. Add olive oil, Calabrian chiles, and fish sauce, and stir until combined. Set aside.

Grill the swordfish

1. Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Remove swordfish from marinade. Place on oiled grates; grill, uncovered, until cooked through and grill marks appear, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a plate; let rest 5 minutes.
2. Lightly brush fish with additional olive oil. Serve immediately with carrot-and-walnut salsa, fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil.