Crispy Swordfish with Meyer Lemon Relish

Say it with me: normalize. eating. whole. lemons! I was introduced to the concept of using the whole lemon in a relish like this in culinary school a couple of years ago and have never looked back! Meyer lemons are a cross between a orange and lemon, so they’re less harsh and a little sweeter than a normal eureka lemon. When sliced super thinly and mixed with macerated shallots, fresh herbs, olive oil and some pickle brine (secret ingredient!) they make for THE best topping for swordfish!

This dish is one of my favorites to make in winter + early spring when meyer lemons are in season! The meyer lemon relish is the perfect balance of sweet, tart, fresh, and bright and is super versatile. I love serving it atop other types of white fish, salmon and even chicken, too!

Here is the link to the Tuesday Tutorial story highlight for the recipe step-by-step. Enjoy!

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Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

For the meyer lemon relish:

• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced (I like using a mandolin)

• 1.5 Tbsp rice vinegar (can use white wine vinegar too)

• 3 meyer lemons, divided

• 1/4 of a jalapeno, minced

• 2 tsp pickle brine (if you don’t have pickles on hand, can sub with 1/2 tsp of sugar or honey)

• 1/3 cup of packed fresh herbs (any delicate herb works; my favorites for this are parsley, chives, chervil, and/or basil)

• Kosher salt

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the swordfish:

• 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or any neutral, high heat oil)

• 1.5 lbs swordfish

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Make the relish:

   1. In a small bowl, combine the shallot with the vinegar and the juice from one of the meyer lemons. Set aside to macerate for 5 minutes while you prep the lemons. This is important because it slightly mutes the onion-y flavor of the shallot and makes it more delicious to eat raw.

   2. Cut the remaining two meyer lemons into eighths and slice each eighth into very thin pieces. You want to keep the skin + pith on. Because we’re slicing them so thinly, there won’t be any bitterness.

   3. In a medium bowl, mix together the thinly sliced lemon, macerated shallots along with the vinegar and lemon juice they were macerating in, minced jalapeno, pickle brine, minced herbs, a generous pinch of kosher salt and the olive oil. Set aside while you cook the swordfish.

2. Cook the swordfish:

   1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

   2. Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until ripping hot, then add the avocado oil.

   3. Season the fish generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Immediately transfer to the hot, oiled pan.

   4. Sear for 5 minutes, then transfer to the oven WITHOUT flipping the fish to cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the top of the fish is opaque around the edges but the middle of the top is still slightly translucent and not quite cooked.

   5. Transfer the pan back to the stovetop and flip to cook the top side for 1 minute.

   6. Serve the swordfish topped with the meyer lemon relish and enjoy!