With over 2,500 miles of Pacific coastline, Chilean fish markets teem with pristinely fresh catches. Feel free to substitute salmon for swordfish if desired.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless swordfish steaks, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons drained brined capers
- 1/4 cup meaty green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 4 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 1 pound rigatoni or other tube-shaped pasta
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- Fresh lemon juice
Directions
Step 1
Season the fish with salt and pepper. In a very large skillet, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook, without moving, until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. (Avoid overcrowding the pan.) Transfer the fish to a platter and set aside.
Step 2
In the same skillet, warm the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the capers and fry until they start to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the olives, garlic, fennel seeds, and hot red pepper flakes and cook until everything is toasty and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan. Remove from the heat.
Step 3
In a large pot of well-salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until 2 minutes shy of al dente; drain.
Step 4
Toss the pasta into the skillet with the caper mixture, along with the swordfish. Cook over medium heat until the pasta is al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, adding more water if the sauce seems dry. Stir in the parsley and mint and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Step 5
Divide the pasta among four individual serving plates or bowls and finish each with a drizzle of olive oil.
Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from Franny’s: Simple Seasonal Italian by Andrew Feinberg (Artisan 2013)