A simple, protein-filled recipe – grilled swordfish is topped with a delicious compound butter laced with furikake, the classic Japanese seasoning.
We’re at that time of year when we’re still recovering from the craziness of the holidays, and if you’re anything like me, you’re craving those simple, easy meals that come together in a flash while still delivering loads of delicious flavor. This Grilled Swordfish with Furikake Butter is one such meal, and I can guarantee that it will change your life.
But seriously, once you go down the path of compound butters (i.e. mixing spices, herbs and other flavorings into your favorite high-quality butter), you’ll never turn back. The hardest part is remembering to put some butter out ahead of time to let it come to room temperature for easy mixing. Thinking up all of the delicious ways you can use said compound butter? I don’t think that’s going to be a problem for you.
I was first introduced to compound butters when I worked a short stint in a French bistro in Honolulu, and all I can say is it was a life-changing experience. Compound butters basically cut your prep time in half, seeing as the herbs and other flavorings are already mixed into the butter you’d use in the recipe anyhow.
They are THE perfect answer to any sort of grilled, roasted or pan-fried meat or seafood. Just plop a pat on top of your already cooked protein, dish it up with a vibrant veggie side dish, and a simple, balanced dinner is ready for your kitchen table.
Speaking of vibrant veggie side dishes, can we talk a bit about these Haricots Verts and Snow Peas with Hazelnut and Orange that I whipped up to serve with my oh-so-delicious Grilled Swordfish with Furikake Butter?
One of my favorite gifts I received this Christmas was Ottolenghi: The Cookbook. I have been dying to get my hands on said cookbook for oh, at least six months now, and my little sis pulled through. Although I’ve never had the privilege of eating at any of his restaurants, everything I’ve read about him, and all of the recipes I’ve seen that are created by him, have been right up my alley. Mostly vegetable- and herb-based, but with no strict dietary callouts. Yes, you will find gluten in his recipes and yes, there are still meats and cheeses making appearances, but veggies are the star of the show. The perfect “balance” if you ask me!
So, after Christmas the hubs had to come back to Santa Barbara for work, but I stayed up north since we had a wedding (and Tahoe trip!) over New Year’s weekend. I made the horrible mistake of sending my new cookbook home with him, and consequently spent many laid-back afternoons and evenings wishing I had it to pore through and even make a recipe or two from.
Needless to say, as soon as I got back home I excitedly started flipping through all of the recipes and marking which ones I wanted to try (um, basically all of them!) When I saw that this Grilled Swordfish with Furikake Butter was scheduled on my editorial calendar for this week, I couldn’t wait to make these Haricots Verts and Snow Peas to go with it!
If you want to make delicious vegetable-filled dishes (or super tasty baked goods, for that matter), I HIGHLY recommend that you invest in Ottolenghi: The Cookbook. And if you already have it, do you have any favorite recipes you’ve made from it?
Anywho, back to this Grilled Swordfish with Furikake Butter. As I mentioned, it is so easy, with minimal mess and cleanup, and requires very few ingredients. It also comes together in less than 20 minutes, plus just a little bit of time for the butter to reset in the refrigerator.
I got the idea for furikake compound butter when my dad and I were in Honolulu this past fall, as furikake is a pretty popular condiment over there and we were enjoying it in EVERYTHING. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s basically a Japanese seasoning blend made up of seaweed, sesame seeds, dried fish and other things. It’s amazing, and surprisingly not too hard to find here on the mainland. Any grocery store with a big Asian section should have it, but you can also order it on Amazon.
As I mentioned, the hardest part about this recipe is planning it far enough in advance to take out some of your favorite high-quality butter (I prefer Kerrygold) and let it come to room temperature so you can easily mix in the furikake. I used my mini food processor to mix everything together, but you could also do it by hand or use a pastry blender.
Once you have the furikake mixed evenly throughout the butter, you’ll want to roll it up into a log using saran wrap (also known as “au torchon” in culinary speak) and place it in the refrigerator to re-harden so you can cut it into pats for on top of your swordfish.
While your butter is in the refrigerator, you can grill up the swordfish. We’re keeping the seasoning simple for this one, since most of the flavor is going to come from the furikake butter. A little spray (or brush) of oil to keep the fish from sticking, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice and you’re good to go. Grilled only takes 4-8 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of your swordfish filets) and then you’re ready to rock and roll!
If you’re not a fan of swordfish, you could easily substitute another type of fish or even steak or chicken. Either way, the dish is going to be delicious. Now what are you waiting for? Time to get some fish on the grill for dinner tonight!
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Grilled Swordfish with Furikake Butter
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons high-quality butter, at room temperature (I prefer Kerrygold)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons furikake
- 2 swordfish filets (about 3/4 - 1 pound total)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine butter and furikake in a small food processor or mixing bowl. Mix until furikake is evenly incorporated into the butter. Using a spatula, scoop the butter onto a piece of saran wrap in the shape of a log. Using the saran wrap as a guide, roll the butter into a log shape. Place in refrigerator for at least 15-20 minutes to reharden.
- In the meantime, prepare your swordfish. First, turn your gas grill on medium to heat up. Next, prep the swordfish by first spraying or brushing with olive oil, then squeezing on lemon juice and finally seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Place swordfish on the grill and cook on one side for 4-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your filets. Flip over and cook for another 4-8 minutes, or until swordfish looks cooked through and is no longer incredibly tender to the touch.
- Remove swordfish from grill and plate up immediately. Remove furikake butter from the refrigerator and cut two pats (about 1/8 of an inch thick each) per swordfish filet. Place on top of swordfish and serve immediately with whatever veggie side you desire!
Notes
Nutrition
Dinner is served.
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