Saffron Swordfish and Herbed Rice

When I say swordfish, what do you think of? You know what I think of? Literally a gigantic sword attached to a goldfish’s head. Because I’m simple.

But in reality, swordfish is an awesome fish that is super high in protein and good fats. Now you need to be careful, because it does carry a higher mercury level sometimes so some folks should avoid it if you fit in the category of young children or pregnant women.

For the rest of us, it’s always swordfish time. This is a super versatile piece of fish that is firm, an ideal for various types of cooking. It’s great grilled, as I’ve highlighted in the past. But what if you want to just make it at home on a weeknight? Well I have you covered, you can literally make this in less than 60 minutes. How can I say that? Because I literally did it the day I prepared this.

Swordfish is a great white fish that has no real fishy smell when it’s been cooked. I cooked this using my new baking method for fish, which is preheating the entire pan in the oven, and then simply placing the fish on the piping hot pan. The result is a perfectly crisp piece of fish.

I prepared this dish using saffron and a blend of spices I have. But these spice blends are super easy to get, why? Because it comes from the Sadaf Fish Seasoning Package. It comes in a handy seasoning container and it has an awesome blend of saffron,garlic powder, and other great spices that compliment fish perfectly.

The other key component to this dish is the rice or Polow. A famous Iranian dish is Sabzi Polow ba Mahi which translates to Herbed Rice with Fish. Typically it’s Rockfish and it is served on Persian New Year. This is not exactly that (that’s a post for the future), this is Shivid Polow which is dill rice. The dill compliments the seafood well by providing a subtle herb flavor to the fish. With a squeeze of lime over the fish, this the perfect dish for a weeknight or any night really.

*Chelow is parboiling your rice and then straining the liquid out and then steaming the rice, Polow adds other ingredients like a pilaf. Kateh is not draining any of the liquids. Although, most Iranians will call all three varieties polow, so stick with Polow if you’re confused.

You are going to love this.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. Sadaf Fish Seasoning, 1 Ounce

2 Swordfish Steaks (Halved)

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise

1/2 Cup Panko

4 Tbsp. Saffron Water

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Lime

1/2 Cup of Basmati Rice

1 Tbsp. of Fresh or Dried Dill

2 Cups of Water

Method

Mix your mayo and mustard together.

Cut your fish in half lengthwise. Mix your saffron water, olive oil, and seasoning together. Then coat your fish evenly with the mixture. Then brush the swordfish all over with mayo-mustard mixture. And cover the top with panko.

While this is happening, preheat your oven-safe pan (I used a caste iron pan) to 450F with a little bit of cooking oil in the pan.

Once the oven is hot enough, place your fish pieces on the pan, the fish should sizzle immediately on the pan. Cook for 30 minutes, with the panko side facing up.

While this is going on, make your rice. Boil two cups of water, once the water is boiling, add your rice. Once the rice grains have fully elongated, drain the water from the rice in a fine mesh colander. Then add your rice back to the pot, add a little bit of olive oil and salt, then cook at a low heat for the remaining time until your fish is prepared. Make sure you cover your rice pot with a lid that has been wrapped in a clean towel. This will catch the steam and will prevent your rice from getting mushy.

Once your fish is ready, serve atop your rice and squeeze the lime juice all over the fish.

Enjoy!