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Fish, Italy

Swordfish alla messinese with potatoes

Swordfish alla messinese is a fish dish simmered in a sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers and celery, served with potatoes, for 4 people in 50 minutes. It's an easy recipe, for about €5.00 per person. The key is to keep the swordfish in the sauce for no more than 8 minutes, or it toughens.

Set sail for Messina with swordfish simmered in a sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers and celery, served with potatoes.

Swordfish alla messinese with potatoes
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€5.00
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer

Swordfish alla messinese plays on a simple contrast, the firm, dense flesh of the fish against a lively sauce built from tomatoes, green olives and capers. The celery softens slowly as it cooks and adds a quiet freshness that keeps the sauce from feeling heavy. The potatoes, boiled separately then spooned over with sauce, round out the plate without making it too rich.

This is a summer dish that makes a nice change from plain grilled fish, perfect for a weeknight when you want something that tastes like vacation without the long cooking time. It works just as well for a family dinner as for guests, as long as you respect the short cooking time for the swordfish. Mon Chou walks you through it step by step so the fish stays tender all the way through.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Swordfish steaks 4

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Green olivesoften in the pantry 100 g
  • Capersoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Celery stalks 2
  • Onion 1
  • Potatoes 800 g

Allergens Fish, Celery

The step by step recipe

  1. Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water. 20 min

    Pierce the potatoes with the tip of a knife, the blade should slide in easily.

  2. Sauté the onion and celery, diced small, in the oil. 8 min

    Dice the celery small, it melts into the sauce and gives it freshness.

  3. Add the tomatoes, olives and rinsed capers and let simmer. 12 min

    Rinse the capers and olives under clean water, the sauce stays flavorful without too much salt.

  4. Place the swordfish steaks in the sauce and cover. 8 min

    Flip the steaks only once, swordfish is dry and falls apart if handled too much.

  5. Serve the swordfish topped with sauce alongside the potatoes.

    Lightly crush the potatoes into the sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick swordfish steaks of even thickness, around 2 cm, so they all cook at the same rate.
  • Let the sauce simmer uncovered over low heat before adding the fish, it should already have reduced a bit so it properly coats the steaks.
  • If the sauce looks too thin once the swordfish is in, raise the heat slightly toward the end instead of extending the fish's cooking time.

The variations

  • Swap the swordfish for fresh tuna or monkfish, two firm fleshed fish that hold up well to this kind of simmered sauce.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with grilled eggplant chunks added at the same time as the sauce, and simmer a little longer.
  • For a quicker version, use small new potatoes left whole, they cook faster and don't need mashing.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A simple green salad
  • Bread for mopping up the sauce

Storage

The dish keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, fish and potatoes together. Avoid freezing it, the swordfish texture suffers once thawed. Reheat gently over low heat, in a skillet or saucepan, spooning sauce over the fish regularly so it doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the tomato, olive and caper sauce the day before and keep it in the fridge. Warm it gently before adding the swordfish for its final 8 minute cook.

What fish works if you can't find swordfish?

Fresh tuna or monkfish both work well thanks to their firm flesh that holds together during cooking. Skip delicate fish like sole, which would fall apart in the sauce.

Do you really need to rinse the capers and olives?

Yes, that's what keeps the sauce from turning too salty. Capers and olives are stored in salt or brine, so a quick rinse under cold water is enough.

Can celery stalk be swapped for something else?

You can use diced fennel, it brings a similar freshness while shifting the flavor slightly. Don't skip it entirely, it balances the tomato's acidity.

How long does it take to make a swordfish alla messinese with potatoes?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a swordfish alla messinese with potatoes?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a swordfish alla messinese with potatoes cost?

About €5.00 per serving, or €20.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, celery. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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