Moroccan Swordfish on Creamy Polenta with Coriander & Lemon Oil
This Moroccan swordfish recipe is a wonderful marriage of flavors and cultures.
- 4 swordfish steaks
- Moroccan spice mix
- vegetable oil
- sea salt flakes
- pepper grinder
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1½ cups polenta
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 ½ cups fresh cream
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- white wine
- sea salt flakes
- pepper grinder
- 3/4 thick European style yoghurt
- 1/2 Lebanese cucumber
- Best if marinated at least 24 hrs in advance.
- Mix some salt and pepper into the Moroccan spice mix.
- Rub each one of steaks with a fair bit of the mix on both sides and then place them into a shallow dish of vegetable oil, ensuring they are completely covered with the oil, place in refrigerator for at least 24 hrs.
- Combine the yoghurt, cucumber, mint, coriander and a touch of salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
- Toast the caraway seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
- In a food processor blend the seeds until broken, add the coriander leaves, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and process on high whilst slowly pouring in some olive oil until a nice glossy green consistency.
- Warm the milk and cream together in a medium saucepan over low heat.
- In a medium to large saucepan sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until soft and translucent.
- Turn the heat up to high and evaporate a good splash of white wine in the saucepan.
- Once most of the wine has disappeared add half the cream and milk and bring to the boil, stir in the polenta and reduce to a simmer and continue to stir.
- As the polenta becomes hard to stir, slowly add in some more cream and milk and continue to stir.
- Taste the polenta as you cook it and once the texture is smooth and no longer granular, stir in the parmesan cheese, parsley and season to taste.
- Unless you prefer your polenta quite sloppy and creamy you should have a bit of milk and cream left over.
- Preheat oven to 180 ℃ (350 ℉).
- Remove the fish from the marinating oil and allow them to drain briefly.
- In a non-stick fry pan sear the swordfish steaks for a minute on each side and transfer them to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile return the polenta to low heat, stir in some more cream and milk if required.
- Arrange the polenta evenly in the centre of the plates, place the sword fish on top of the polenta, dollop a tbsp of the yoghurt mix on the fish and then drizzle some of the dressing over it all, allowing some to pool around and the polenta.
Some will claim swordfish is a very boring fish, and in all honesty it is a bit simple on its own. However it is that simple flavor that I find so appealing about swordfish as it can be turned into virtually any style of recipe you want.
Some fish, salmon for instance, is a beautiful fish but due to its rich distinct prominent flavor it is not as versatile as our humble sword. Imagine either fish with a nice herbed pilaf and a classic beurre blanc, but don’t try putting both into a salty sweet Chinese stir fry.
In this recipe I have used a tender piece of sword as a platform to get across some very distinct Moroccan flavors, served it on some soft polenta, topped it with some Greek inspired cucumber mint yoghurt and dressed it all with a unique coriander and caraway oil dressing.
Enjoy!