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Epicurious

Swordfish Steaks With Peppercorn Butter

4.7

(225)

A panroasted swordfish on a plate with a side salad.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Bookmark this swordfish steak recipe for those times when you need to get an impressive meal on the table fast. Its complex flavors come not from hours in a marinade but from an easy compound butter seasoned with parsley, garlic, mixed peppercorns, and lemon zest. Make the elegant, garlicky sauce your own by using an additional clove of garlic, or swap out the peppercorn medley for all black pepper, green pepper, or white pepper as desired. Swap the lemon zest for orange peel for sweeter citrus flavors or grapefruit for more bitter ones. Substitute half or all the parsley for basil or thyme, or sprinkle in a pinch of finely chopped mint to amplify the Mediterranean vibes of this tender swordfish dinner.

A one-pan wonder, this easy swordfish recipe starts and ends on the stovetop, with a short stint in the oven. The meaty swordfish steaks will continue to cook after you remove them from the heat—the ideal internal temperature is between 130°F (for medium rare) and 145°F (for a well-done fish fillet)—so remove them when they’re just shy of your desired doneness. As the cooked fish rests, whip together the peppery butter sauce in the same skillet or sauté pan. Serve your pan-roasted swordfish supper with rice, lemony potatoes, or a simple green salad and crusty bread.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. finely chopped parsley
½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp. freshly ground mixed pepper, plus more
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 6-oz. swordfish fillets (1" thick)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 400°. Mix 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 tsp. finely chopped parsley, ½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest, ½ tsp. freshly ground mixed pepper, and 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, in a small bowl to combine. Season with kosher salt; set aside.

    Step 2

    Heat 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Season four 6-oz. swordfish fillets (1" thick) with salt and mixed pepper. Cook swordfish until browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn fillets over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until swordfish is just cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to plates.

    Step 3

    Set skillet over medium-high heat and add reserved butter mixture. Cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of pan with a wooden spoon, until melted and bubbling. Immediately pour butter sauce over swordfish. 


    Editor’s note: This swordfish steak recipe was first printed in August 2005 as “Pan-Roasted Swordfish Steaks with Mixed-Peppercorn Butter.” Head this way for more of our best fish recipes →

TagsWeeknight MealsMainSwordfishFishSeafoodEpicuriousDinnerGluten FreeNut FreeQuickEasy

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