Swordfish With Scallions and Cracked Peppercorns

Name: Swordfish With Scallions and Cracked Peppercorns
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup fish stock; 1 cup dry white wine; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; 1 bunch scallions, green part only, chopped; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, cracked; 1 tablespoon whole white peppercorns, cracked; 1/4 cup Sichuan peppercorns, cracked; 4 swordfish steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each, trimmed of skin and fat; Salt to taste; 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives; 4 red radishes, thinly sliced

By Florence Fabricant

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(39)
Notes: Read community notes

This is the sort of dish to cook in the early days of spring when, as Florence Fabricant put it, "freshness, greenery and a touch of peppery spice are the most tempting." Ms. Fabricant brought the recipe to The Times in a 1991 review of "Cooking for All Seasons," by Jimmy Schmidt, then chef and owner of the Rattlesnake Club and Tre Vite Restaurants in Detroit.

Featured in: FOOD; A Chef's Ideas for Accenting Spring Ingredients

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1cup fish stock
1cup dry white wine
1½cups heavy cream
1bunch scallions, green part only, chopped
1tablespoon whole black peppercorns, cracked
1tablespoon whole white peppercorns, cracked
¼cup Sichuan peppercorns, cracked
4swordfish steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each, trimmed of skin and fat
Salt to taste
¼cup snipped fresh chives
4red radishes, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat broiler.
Step 2
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the stock and the wine. Bring to a simmer over high heat and cook until reduced to one-half cup, about eight minutes. Add the cream and cook until reduced to one cup, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat, add the scallion greens and set aside for five minutes.
Step 3
Transfer the cooled mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Strain into a clean saucepan.
Step 4
Mix the peppercorns together in a small bowl, then divide them among the swordfish steaks, pressing them into the surface of the fish on one side. Place the fish, pepper side up, on a lightly oiled broiling pan and broil it to the desired degree of doneness, about four to six minutes, or longer, depending on the thickness of the fish and the heat of the broiler. Do not turn the fish.
Step 5
While the fish is cooking, return the sauce to a simmer and reduce it for about two minutes, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add salt to taste.
Step 6
To serve, spoon some of the sauce on each four warm plates. Sprinkle the chives and radish slices over the sauce, then place a swordfish steak on top. Serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5

39 user ratings

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Luke S2 years ago

This recipe is absolutely phenomenal. A new spring standard in our house.

Agincourt12 years ago

A terrific recipe. We skipped the straining after the blending step as it seemed unnecessary. Added a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. It turned out amazing.

Nick3 years ago

Easy and tasty. The sauce took a bit longer than prescribed to cook down but was tasty and a nice salty compliment to the swordfish.

Judith Bergson6 years ago

Made this this evening. Quick, easy and delicious.

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