This recipe is a really simple, yet incredibly flavorful way to cook swordfish.

You may think that grilling fish is somewhat tricky, and that’s true, but swordfish, with its firm, steak-like texture stands up well to this method of cooking and you don’t need to be an expert to have it turn out perfectly.

Swordfish steaks cook through in less than ten minutes and all that’s needed to prepare them for the grill is a little lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Our simple compound butter, flavored with lemon zest and basil, melts over the fish just as it comes off the grill, adding a fresh, lemony quality that complements the flavor of the swordfish perfectly.

Did you know? The average swordfish weighs between 50 and 100 pounds and its sword makes up about a third of its overall length. Most swordfish harvested from US and Canadian waters is sustainably fished and considered to be a good, eco-friendly choice by SeafoodWatch.org.

Swordfish steaks range in color from creamy white to pale pink and often have areas of dark flesh (called the bloodline) running through them. Look for steaks where those dark areas are more red than brown as this is a good indicator of freshness.

Grilled Swordfish with Lemon-Basil Butter

Swordfish is a great choice for grilling, and topped with a herb butter flavored with fresh basil and lemon zest, it makes an outstanding meal, with very little fuss.

Author: Lynne Webb
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 swordfish steaks, 1-inch thick (about 2 lbs)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the lemon-basil butter:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced (about 1/2 clove)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Instructions

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat.
Cut each swordfish steak in half, drizzle with lemon juice and let stand for 1 minute.
Rub both sides of each steak with olive oil, salt and pepper and set aside.
Place the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt and basil in a small bowl and combine well. Set aside until ready to serve.
Oil the grill grates and add the fish.
Grill the swordfish steaks until opaque throughout, 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 minutes per side. To avoid drying out the fish, do not leave unattended.
Top each piece of fish with about 1 tablespoon of the lemon-basil butter just as it comes off the grill.
Allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.