Bacon makes everything better.
- Carbohydrate 6.4711175 g
- Cholesterol 53.3499999968046 mg
- Fat 41.5300199968638 g
- Fiber 0.744749980270863 g
- Protein 4.03517 g
- Saturated Fat 13.747377248942 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (157g)
- Sodium 363.21599996562 mg
- Sugar 5.72636751972914 g
- Trans Fat 2.65277224981064 g
- Calories 412 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut the bacon into tiny strips and cook over medium heat until crispy and delicious. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
- Put bacon onto a paper towel to drain excess fat.
- In a bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, 1/4 cup canola (not olive) oil, minced red onion, red wine vinegar and dijon mustard. Whisk together using a whisk or similar whisking implement. It should resemble a very liquid-ey red onion salsa.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter and vegetable oil in a pan just big enough to hold the swordfish fillets. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and generously season with salt and pepper.
- When the oil/butter is hot enough, add the swordfish steaks to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side. The steaks are done when they flake with a fork.
- Place one swordfish steak on each plate. Crumble the bacon and add it to the vinaigrette mixture. Whisk again. Add parsley if desired and then spoon the vinaigrette over the swordfish steaks.
While traditional seafood dressings rely on chilled citrus and olive oil, this preparation introduces warm rendered pork fat and pungent grain mustard for a punchy contrast. Achieving the right temperature in the pan requires a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan that retains heat evenly without scorching the butter and oil blend. When searing dense fish steaks, ensure the pan reaches medium-high heat before adding the protein so the exterior develops a golden crust while the interior remains moist and opaque. Overcooking is the primary pitfall for dense marine species, resulting in a chalky texture and dried-out proteins that resist the binding action of emulsions. Searing for precisely five minutes per side and checking for easy separation with a fork prevents moisture loss.
Substituting neutral canola oil for olive oil in the vinaigrette prevents bitter phenolic compounds from clashing with the sharp red wine vinegar and minced red onion. Whisking the mustard vigorously into the warm bacon fat creates a stable suspension that clings to the dense fish rather than running off the plate.
