Swordfish Provencale

This is the Provence treatment of swordfish, where the firm meaty steaks get briefly seared in olive oil before being braised in a fragrant herbed tomato sauce with mushrooms, sweet pepper, and garlic. Forty minutes in the oven and the fish emerges flaky and tender, infused with the herbal sauce.

The bouquet garni is doing real work here. A small cheesecloth bundle of parsley, bay leaf, sliced celery, and thyme tied with kitchen twine infuses the braising liquid with classic French herb notes without leaving stems and leaves to fish out of the finished dish. Pull the bundle before reducing the sauce.

Reducing the cooking liquid by half after the fish is done concentrates the flavors and creates the body for a proper pan sauce. A small beurre manie of soft butter mashed with flour whisked in at the end thickens the sauce to a velvety glossy texture that clings to each forkful.

Pimentos and capers as a final garnish add briny salty punctuation that wakes up the richness of the sauce. This is classic French technique, where small finishing details elevate the dish from rustic to refined.

Chef Tips

• Sear the swordfish quickly in hot olive oil to develop golden color before the long braise
• Peel the tomatoes by scoring an X and dunking in boiling water for 30 seconds, then ice water
• Use a good dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, the wine flavor concentrates as it reduces
• The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork at the thickest part
• Make a beurre manie ahead by mashing equal parts cold butter and flour with a fork, whisk in for an instant smooth thickener

Variations

• Swap swordfish for halibut, monkfish, or sea bass, any firm white fish works
• Add black olives along with the capers for full Provencal authenticity
• Stir in a tablespoon of fresh basil or tarragon at the end for a brighter herbal finish
• Serve over a bed of buttered rice or with crusty bread to mop up every drop of sauce