Red Pepper Swordfish

Broiled swordfish gets a serious flavor boost here from a raw sauce of diced sweet red pepper, fresh oregano, and lemon juice that cooks right on top of the fish under high heat. The red pepper softens just enough to keep some texture while releasing its juices into the pan.

Broiling the steaks over a shallow layer of white wine does two things. It prevents the fish from drying out on the bottom, and it builds the base of a pan sauce you can reduce and pour over the finished dish.

The key is keeping the swordfish thick, about an inch. Thinner steaks overcook before the pepper mixture has time to warm through. Three minutes on bare heat first sets a light crust, then the lemon-oregano mixture goes on for the final few minutes.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip reducing the sauce. After the fish comes out, a quick two-minute boil concentrates the flavors and thickens the liquid into something worth spooning over each steak.
• Fresh oregano matters here. Dried oregano will work in a pinch, but fresh gives the sauce a floral, almost peppery quality that dried can’t match.
• Warm your serving dish before transferring the fish. Swordfish cools fast and loses its silky texture quickly once it tightens up.

Variations

• Try halibut or mahi-mahi if swordfish isn’t available. Both hold up well under a broiler.
• Add capers and olives to the pepper mixture for a puttanesca-style twist.