Swordfish With Lemon and Fennel

By Melissa Clark

Swordfish With Lemon and Fennel
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(1,424)
Notes
Read community notes

This dish is truly clever weeknight cooking — sophisticated, fast, unfussy and wholly delicious. Swordfish is cut into chunks, which cook faster than steaks, and then is sautéed in olive oil, butter or, for the best results, a combination of the two. The fat protects the fish from the heat of the pan, preventing the fish from drying out. It also provides lots of flavor, as do fennel seeds, garlic, lemon zest and red pepper flakes, which are added to the pan after the fish has cooked for a few minutes. Fennel fronds are a nice garnish, offering their light anise flavor and feathery texture, though you could use chopped fresh basil, parsley or cilantro instead. Cumin or coriander seeds can stand for the fennel seeds, or you can leave them out altogether and double the chile.

Featured in: Fennel and Lemon Turn Swordfish Into a More Complex Meal

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1½pounds swordfish steaks, about 1-inch thick
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1½tablespoons olive oil
  • 1tablespoon butter
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
  • ¼teaspoon crushed red chile flakes, more to taste
  • 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2teaspoons chopped fresh fennel fronds
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

325 calories; 19 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 34 grams protein; 461 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Using a sharp knife, cut the skin off the swordfish, then cut the fish into 1-inch cubes. Season fish cubes generously with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a heavy knife, lightly crush the fennel seeds to release their flavor.

  3. Step 3

    In a skillet large enough to hold all the fish cubes in one layer, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the fish to the pan and let cook, turning the fish and basting with the oil and butter, for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, fennel seeds, lemon zest and chile flakes and continue to cook, stirring gently so as not to break up the fish cubes, until the fish is just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Gently stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more salt and chile flakes if desired. Garnish with fennel fronds and lemon wedges.

Similar Recipes

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,424 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Pat Brownlie

Perfect one-pot dinner for two people with 1/2 lb. of swordfish. Sliced a whole fennel bulb crosswise and sauteed it first in the oil and butter, with 1 clove of minced garlic, fennel seeds, and lemon zest. I omitted the chile flakes. When the fennel had softened a bit, but was still not done, I added the swordfish and turned the pieces with tongs until they were done. Added fresh Meyer lemon juice and chopped fennel fronds leftover from the bulb when serving. Salt and pepper at the table.

Chuck

We live in RI, where locally caught swordfish is a plentiful and always fresh market staple. This has become my go-to recipe, combining as it does our favorite Provençal/Sicilian flavors (fennel seed, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and fresh-ground tellicherry) with quick and easy preparation. It is important to season the swordfish cubes generously with salt and pepper and then let them sit for a bit. I quarter and steam the fennel bulb that supplies the frond garnish to use as the vegetable.

Janet

I've made this many times and it is a real crowd pleaser. I do a quick marinate of the sword fish cubes in EVOO, lemon, garlic. Delicious and very moist!

Susan Green

This was delicious. I did add some capers to the sauce in the pan... excellent flavors. Will definitely add this recipe to our fish rotation!

Elaine

We've had this several times. I've always used cod, and it's delicious.

Stephanie

Simple, simple, simple. and really good. Will definitely make again. I made pappardelle and added it to the pan with a little pasta water to make the sauce go a tiny bit further. Served it with a fennel and artichoke heart salad with lemon and olive oil.

Nancy

Try adding vermouth with the lemon juice to yield more sauce.

Flo

This is delicious, easy, quick, and almost foolproof. I used the specified amounts of garlic, fennel seeds, lemon zest and juice, etc. on one pound of swordfish, for two portions. If I was making this for four, I would probably use two pounds of fish and double those amounts. Fish was perfectly cooked, pretty, and tasty. Served with sautéed Tuscan kale and rice pilaf. Will make this again.

Roberta

My swordfish loving husband really loved this dish. It will be repeated often. I couldn't find my fennel seeds so I substituted fresh tarragon which worked very well.

NJR

Made a 2nd time with tuna and sauteed the fennel bulb in oil and butter as others advised. Took the fennel out to cook the fish and then added it back in at the end to reheat. Absolutely excellent. The tuna has more of its own flavor while the swordfish is a vehicle for the spicing, but both were outstanding.

Gph

This is a winner! I had half of a fennel bulb so similar to a previous commenter I chopped it and added that to the pan before the fish. I also added capers since I was trying to decide between this recipe and the swordfish piccata, which I have made and loved but glad I went with the fennel this time around. This got the review from my husband and I, “this is restaurant good!”. High praise indeed. Thanks Melissa, another home run!

Nancy

Good with halibut

NJR

OUTstanding! I didn't have fennel so couldn't use the fronds, but I had the seed and used it. Otherwise made as directed with some flat leaf parsley for garnish. I expected to be able to pull off the skin but I did have to cut it off as directed using a very sharp edge. Could probably do it with tuna but the swordfish was perfect. May be my new favorite. Sorry Monsieur Franey!

Nancy

This is perfect as is, but I like the idea, suggested by another cook, to sauté a sliced bulb of fennel in the oil and butter and then proceed with the recipe.

Kim

Careful, easy to over cook. Also easy to let the pepper become too dominant.

ag

I didn’t want my tiny New York apartment to smell fishy so I melted the butter, oil and flavorings in a small roasting pan first then gently baked the large cubes of swordfish in a 380 oven for about 15 mins. It came out perfectly. I served it with wild rice and it was all very delicious.

Kevin

Excellent. Sautéed sliced fennel bulb first, then removed and cooked the fish. I will add capers next time. Go easy on the oil and butter, as it seemed a bit oily. Served on Farfalle pasta.

Susan1228

The flavors of this recipe are delicious and well-balanced. Everyone loved the dish. Personally, I didn’t love the texture of the swordfish. I can’t tell if it’s swordfish in general or the way I cooked it. It wasn’t overdone, dry or rubbery - but it was chewier than I had hoped. I’ve made other swordfish dishes that have a better texture.

Joe

Made this as directed with swordfish twice. Made it once with cod loin. Fantastic each time. However the cod broke up easily. The swordfish remained intact and visually presented better. Bottom line: either fine but use swordfish for company.

ksas

Wonderful, moist, delicately-flavored, quick and easy.

sask

Amazingly delicious, simple, fast preparation. Definitely a keeper for dinner parties or Tuesday night!

MariaKennedy

This recipe did not work for me. The swordfish was soggy from the extended time in the braise. In my opinion Swordfish should be grilled and not braised

me

Made 4/15/24 - Jimmie and George liked very much. I thought a bit week in flavor - would try to use fresh fennel fronds or oregano in place of the fennel seeds would be good too. It was easy to put together - I used a 1.75 swordfish steak and cut into 4 pieces. Served with asparagus, broccoli and iceberg salad

Colleen

Serve with Grilled Fennel with Parmesan and Lemon (Skinnytaste) and Israeli Couscous.

TanteStacey

Delish! First, I thinly sliced fennel bulbs and stalks on a mandolin and sautéed them in butter and oils as some other commenters did, Put them in a bowl while I cooked the fish as directed and added capers and cherry tomato halves. Also used Aleppo pepper instead of red pepper flakes! Served the fish on a bed of fennel. Sooo good!

JoRo

Delish. Followed others' suggestion to cook fennel bulb first, and also added thinly sliced haiurei turnips, cooked til nearly soft and added the fish. Nice one pot meal. Will make again!

diane

Added white wine and capers to extend the sauce Delicious!

Laura Nak

So simple. So delicious. The fennel seeds are perfect. I used a bit of Thai basil to finish rather than fennel fronds.

Posy Gering

I’d give this 6 stars, if I could. I upp’d the spices and reduced the fat. It was a hit and this method made it so much easier to not overcook the swordfish.

sharon

I added 2 fennel Bulbs that I sautéed first slowly until soft. Set fennel aside and continued with the recipe. It’s unbelievably delicious.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.

More Recipes From Melissa Clark

Trending on Cooking

Cooking Guides