Last time I bought fish at a supermarket I got a very fishy piece of wild salmon. This time, at a different store, I had a much better experience with swordfish. This was an unexpected purchase; I was out of town on work errands when I decided to do some “research” at a Shaw’s Supermarket. The fish counter at this particular store was much better looking than the two Shaw’s back home and with no line, I was able to snoop around and look at all the labels on the seafood. Sourcing information was there on the labels for cod, haddock, halibut, salmon and the like…you just needed a magnifying glass to read it!
Canadian Swordfish at Shaw’s
The very friendly and talkative attendant was upfront in how little he knew about fish, I think by the end I taught him a few things. It seemed a little early in the season for swordfish, but the label at the fish counter said it was fresh, Canadian swordfish. Their longline season technically begins in April so maybe it was an early season fish.
Fresh Versus Frozen Swordfish
The sign said “fresh” and not “previously frozen” which you can tell by looking at the so-called “bloodline” that runs through the fish. It’s not blood, it’s just a part of muscle that is rich in myoglobin running the length of the entire fish. When frozen, that red or pink color will turn to black, which is a telltale sign of a previously frozen fish. There is nothing wrong with frozen swordfish, but if you see steaks at your seafood counter with a black bloodline, it better say “previously frozen.”
Considering what some of the other swordfish I’ve seen lately looks like, these steaks looked really good. My wife recently got burned (freezer burned that is) ordering grilled swordfish at one of our local restaurants, so I wanted to push that experience out of her memory.
I got two steaks that weighed just under a pound and a half. I could tell from the cut that it was a smaller fish, taken from the right side, closer to the tail section. The meat wasn’t slimy, or grayish, the bloodline was not dark from age or freezer burn. It had a nice, pleasant swordfish smell, not fishy, but a briny aroma that reminded me of the glory days when me and my drunken buddies were cutting our own steaks off the swordfish “bullets.” Ahhh….good times….
It wasn’t warm enough just yet for me to climb the stairs to the grill, so I roasted it in the oven the way my wife likes it.
Roast Swordfish with Lemon-Tarragon Butter
Cuisine: SeafoodDifficulty: Easy5
minutes25
minutesSwordfish comes out very nice in the oven. The addition of breadcrumbs and lemon add a little touch of home for me.
Ingredients
2 Swordfish steaks
1/2 stick of Butter
fresh Tarragon, chopped
1 Lemon, juice and zest
1 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers
Salt and Pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Melt butter and combine with the tarragon, lemon zest and about 1/4 of the juice.
- Season your steaks well with salt and pepper and put on a greased foil-lined baking sheet.
- Brush the butter on top of the steaks liberally. If you like, top with seasoned breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs and drizzle a bit more butter on top.
- Roast for about 20-25 minutes depending upon thickness of the steaks. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- I find it tough to remove the bloodline before cooking, I separate the steaks but leave it otherwise intact and remove once it’s done.
- If you opt for the crumbs, add some salt, pepper, thyme and lemon zest.
The Verdict
After about 23 minutes it was done just the way we like it in our house. I must say it came out exactly the way I wanted it: The swordfish was thick and juicy, and the butter, tarragon, lemon and cracker crumbs never fail. I was not so heavy-handed with the flavorings as I often am, so nothing overpowered the great taste of the swordfish.
So, I probably won’t be buying fish from this particular supermarket on a regular basis, but it is good to know I can pick up some good-looking seafood here in a pinch. However, the organization really needs to make their sourcing labels easier to read, and an informed service person behind the counter would be helpful as well. I had a great conversation with the counter person, but it doesn’t inspire confidence when I’m teaching the fish dealer how to cook swordfish.
