Italian cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Pesce Spada alla Messinese

Swordfish slices from Messina, braised in a sauce of tomato, celery, olives and capers.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 swordfish slices (180 g each)
• 400 g passata (strained tomatoes)
• 2 stalks celery
• 100 g green olives
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100 ml white wine
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the swordfish slices dry, season lightly with salt and pepper; cut the celery into thin curves, dice onion and garlic, and pit and halve the olives.
2. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan until very hot and sear the fish slices for 1 min. per side until white on the outside, then remove.
3. In the remaining oil, sauté onion, garlic and celery over medium heat for 6–7 min. until the celery loses its sharpness.
4. Deglaze with the white wine, reduce for 2 min., add the passata, olives and rinsed capers, and reduce uncovered for 10 min. until syrupy.
5. Place the fish slices in the sauce and let steep covered over low heat for 6–8 min. until just cooked through in the center and still juicy.
6. Season with salt and pepper, scatter generously with chopped parsley, and serve with white bread for dipping.