Good Friday Recipe: Pickled Swordfish

Good Friday Recipe: Pickled Swordfish

This fish recipe is traditionally served slightly chilled or at room temperature but is just as delicious warm.

This fish recipe is traditionally served slightly chilled or at room temperature but is just as delicious warm.

On Good Friday, it is customary for many Latin American countries and is a great alternative to steak. We used swordfish which is a lean, low-calorie choice and comes as close to steak as you can get.

Holy Week Around the World 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ - 2 pounds swordfish or any firm fish
• Salt and pepper
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3  sweet onions, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon capers, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 dozen olives, coarsely chopped
• 3 green plantains
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying plantains

Directions:

1. Lightly season fish with salt, pepper and juice of half a lemon.  
2. Coat with flour and fry fish in olive oil until brown and cooked through (about 5 mins per side). Place in deep baking dish and set aside.
3. Add sliced onions, peppers and garlic to the hot oil in which the fish was fried, and sauté for a few minutes until onions are translucent.
4. Then add the remaining ingredients, (except plantains) and sauté for additional 5 minutes.
5. Let cool and pour over fish. Cover tightly, refrigerate and let marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. An hour before serving, take fish out of the cold and set on counter.  Prepare plantains for frying.
7. Cut into 6 to 8 even pieces and fry, turning once until golden.  Drain on paper towels.
8. After it has cooled enough for handling, smash plantains with a tostonera or on a cutting board with the bottom of a glass or small plate.
9. Dip all plantain pieces in fish marinade and transfer to paper towels.
10. Fry again, turning once until it has acquired a deeper gold.  Be careful not to overcook.
11. Cut fish into chunks and divide into 4 plates.  Discard bay leaves the top fish with marinade mixture.  Great with a side of tostones!

Makes 4 servings.

Health Tip:  For an added health benefit, try grilling or baking instead of frying.

Elizabeth Carrion, a Dominican, co-founded Mi Cocina, a New Jersey-based catering service that also offers cooking classes, with her sister, Ana Martinez. Follow her on Twitter: @micocinalatina and visit her website micocina-latina.com.

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