Grilled Swordfish

with Olive Tapenade and Fennel Salad

Makes 4 servings

I created this recipe to highlight the buttery, meaty flavor of grilled swordfish. Because the fish has so much flavor, I didn’t want to overpower it with an intense sauce or heavy vegetables, so I took the classic Italian pairing of swordfish and olives and added a simple fennel salad.

Swordfish is one of the more oily fishes, so it can stand up to the heat of a hot grill and takes on char well, especially when it’s sprinkled with a little sugar before cooking. However, it tends to stick to the grill more easily than other fish, so I oil both the fish and the grill grates, and I don’t move the fish around much as it cooks.

Olive Tapenade

Makes about 2 cups

• ¼ cup roughly chopped Sevillano olives
• ¼ cup roughly chopped Castelvetrano olives
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño chile (no seeds)
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (preferably Meyer lemons)
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup oil from Marinated Olives or extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium heat-proof bowl, combine the olives, scallions, parsley, jalapeño, lemon zest, salt, and sugar. Combine the olive oils in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Pour over the olive mixture. Let cool to room temperature. The tapenade can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Fennel Salad

• 1 medium fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly shaved (use a mandoline if you have one)
• ¼ cup chopped fennel fronds
• 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (preferably Meyer lemon)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl, toss all the ingredients together, seasoning with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For Serving

• Four 6-ounce center-cut swordfish steaks (about 1 inch thick)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sugar
• Fennel Salad
• Olive Tapenade

Prepare a hot grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat. Oil the grates or pan well. Brush the swordfish steaks with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and a little bit of sugar (this will help with caramelizing). Grill the fish until well browned on one side, about 4 minutes, then flip the fish over and continue grilling until well browned on the other side and just cooked through, about 4 minutes longer.

Divide the fennel salad among four plates and top with the swordfish. Spoon some of the tapenade over each piece of fish, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

The Takeaway

My olive tapenade is everything that jarred tapenade isn’t. Whereas the jarred stuff is muddy puree made mostly from black olives, mine is a chunky, brightly flavored topping made with two varieties of green olives that are boosted with flavor from herbs, a touch of jalapeño, and the leftover oil from my Marinated Olives. The tapenade will keep for about a week, so feel free to use any leftovers in pasta, on toasts, or as part of an antipasto spread.