Swordfish Paillard with Leeks & Grapefruit
Submitted by Fisher5
Paper-thin swordfish paillard flash-cooked until just opaque, topped with blanched leek julienne, fresh grapefruit segments, and a tangy mustard seed vinaigrette. An elegant 30-minute dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
5 minREADY
30 minThis is restaurant-caliber cooking that barely asks you to turn on the oven. Swordfish sliced razor-thin goes from raw to silky and just-opaque in under a minute, making it closer to warm carpaccio than a typical fish dinner.
Blanched leeks bring a sweet, buttery contrast, while fresh grapefruit segments and their juice cut right through with citrus acidity. The vinaigrette pulls it all together with Dijon mustard and whole mustard seeds that pop between your teeth.
Ready in 30 minutes, this is the kind of plate you set down and watch people pause before picking up a fork. It looks that good.
Chef Tips
- Ask your fishmonger to slice the swordfish ⅛ inch thin, or partially freeze the steak at home and use your sharpest knife. Uniform thickness is everything here.
- Watch the oven like a hawk. At high heat, these thin slices go from translucent to overcooked in seconds. Pull them at the first sign of opacity.
- Blanch and ice-bath the leeks ahead of time if you’re entertaining. They hold beautifully and let you plate quickly when it’s showtime.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450℉ (230℃).
Place swordfish paillard on 4 separate plates, cover each with plastic and place in refrigerator.
Bring 2 quarts water to boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and set up a handy ice bath in an 8-quart mixing bowl.
Drop leek julienne into boiling water and cook until tender, about 1 minute.
Remove leeks and plunge into ice bath to cool, about 1 minute.
Remove from ice bath, drain well and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together grapefruit zest and juice, mustard, olive oil and mustard seeds until lightly emulsified.
Remove swordfish plate from refrigerator and uncover.
Place in preheated oven and cook 30 to 45 seconds, until just opaque.
Remove and place on counter.
Dress leeks with remaining oil and lemon juice and divide among 4 swordfish plates, making a pile in the center of each.
Place 3 grapefruit segments on each plate and sprinkle with zest.
Drizzle with sauce and serve warm.
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