Creative, classy, and full of flavor, this Mediterranean Stuffed Swordfish is perfect for impressing guests or celebrating an elegant evening at home. The classy presentation is surprisingly simple to bring together, and the blend of aromatic flavors will have everyone cleaning the last bite off their plates.
The rich, distinct flavors of the Mediterranean pair perfectly with the mild taste of the swordfish steak. Tasteful and stylish, this is also an incredibly healthy meal that will present well for holidays, special events, or a cozy stay at home dinner date.
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Ingredients for Stuffed Swordfish
It is the Mediterranean flavors that really set this stuffed swordfish apart. This is a nice short ingredient list packed with plenty of flavor. You’ll need Kalamata Olives, Sundried Tomatoes, Capers, Red Onion, Garlic, Fresh Spinach, and Feta Cheese for your stuffing.
Of course you’ll need your swordfish steaks. Swordfish steaks present anywhere from an ivory to a pinkish color and when fresh won’t be dull in their coloring. Swordfish has reddish spots in the skin that have a fishier flavor than the rest of the steak. You don’t want the spots to be brown, and if they are particularly large you can cut them out, but you want to think about the integrity of how they will hold together while stuffing if you do this.
We always prefer fresh fish when we can find it, and also try to find responsibly sourced fish. The overfishing of our oceans through illegal methods is certainly having an impact, and we want our oceans to stay healthy and prosperous for centuries to come!
Putting together the Mediterranean Stuffed Swordfish
The first thing you do is zest the lemon (shave off the some of the rind) to get 1 tsp of zest. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice. Dre uses the Y-me citrus press to make squeezing the lemon easier, as his hands have a tough time squeezing out all of the juice because of his MS.
Add 2 cups of cool water to the lemon juice and wash the swordfish in the water. Gently pat the swordfish dry. Using a chef’s or utility knife, create a small cut along the short side of the steak and filet the steak so it opens like a sandwich, but leave the opposite end in tact. You will be able to pull open the steak on three sides but leave one of the long ends closed so you have a pouch sort of like a pita.
Set your swordfish steaks to the side and allow them to warm towards room temperature while you put your stuffing together.
Turn your oven to broil and place one of your baking racks in the middle of the oven.
Dice all of your stuffing ingredients. Warm a skillet to medium, coat with olive oil, and saute the onion for about one minute, until it starts to release its smell. At this point add the garlic and stir until the blend is fully aromatic. The aroma indicates that the flavors are releasing.
Stir in the spinach and cook until the spinach begins to melt, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, but while the skillet is still warm, add the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, zest, capers, and feta. Stir to allow the flavors to blend together. Flavor with salt and pepper.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put the swordfish steaks on the paper.
Spread open the swordfish filets and spoon enough stuffing inside for the filet to slightly mound, but not spill over the edge.
Brush the top of the swordfish steak with olive oil, then salt and pepper the steak. Flip the steak over and season the other side with the brushed olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Place the cooking pan onto the middle rack of the oven and cook on broil for about three minutes. Flip the steak and cook for about three more minutes. The fish should temp at one hundred and forty degrees when finished.
Pull out of the oven, plate, and serve with your favorite choice of side!
Why we love Swordfish for MS
So we know we love seafood for the Omega-3 fatty acids that are found in the meat, but we want to highlight a little something special about Swordfish. What is it, you ask? Why it’s selenium! Swordfish is actually ripe with Selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant and also helps boost the immune system. In addition, Selenium has quiet a few other health benefits, including boosting heart and thyroid health. It’s not a nutrient we talk about often, and we love that this dish is not unique just in its flavors, but in its health benefits as well!
Please visit our Resources page if you are interested in finding some of the tools and gadgets Dre uses to make cooking accessible while cooking with MS.
Mediterranean Stuffed Swordfish
Description
Creative, classy, and full of flavor, this Mediterranean Stuffed Swordfish is perfect for impressing guests or celebrating an elegant evening at home. The classy presentation is surprisingly simple to bring together, and the blend of aromatic flavors will have everyone cleaning the last bite off their plates.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Zest the lemon for 1 teaspoon of zest, cut the lemon and a half and squeeze out the juice into a medium bowl.
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Add the 2 cups of cool water to the lemon juice and gently wash the swordfish in the lemon water, remove and pat dry with a paper towel or cloth.
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Using a sharp knife, cut a pouch into the swordfish steak, being careful not to cut all of the way through.
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Set the cut steaks aside to allow them to get as close to room temperature as possible while you make the stuffing.
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Heat olive oil in a medium skillet to medium heat
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Preheat the oven to broil and set the rack on the middle shelf.
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Add the diced red onions to the oil and saute 2-3 minutes until they just begin to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds.
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Add the chopped spinach, and cook until the spinach begins to wilt. Turn off the heat.
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While the skillet is still warm, add the zest, olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Mix well and set aside.
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Spoon the stuffing mixture into the swordfish steak pouches. Brush with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.
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Line a shallow baking dish with parchment paper, placed the steaks on the paper and place in the oven to cook. Broil the steaks for 4-5 minutes, flip them over and cook another 4-5 minutes. minimum internal temperature of 145°
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Remove the swordfish from the oven and serve with your favorite side. Enjoy!
