Sicilian-Style Swordfish with Pasta and Capers

August 1st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Sicilian Swordfish

You have only about 3 more weeks to take advantage of Whole Foods Market’s sustainable swordfish catch.

To inspire you, here’s one of the natural and organic food chain’s deliciously simple recipes, featuring a zesty Italian sauce.

If sustainable swordfish is unavailable in your area, you can substitute a firm white fish like Pacific halibut.

Sicilian-Style Swordfish with Pasta and Capers

Serves 4

8 ounces whole-wheat linguine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups diced fresh or canned tomatoes, with all juices
2½ tablespoons drained capers
1 pound swordfish, skin removed, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook pasta until al dente, about 9 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until just golden around the edges, about 3 minutes.
  3. Stir in pepper flakes first, then tomatoes and capers. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  4. Add swordfish and stir into sauce. Cover skillet and simmer, stirring gently once or twice, until chunks of fish are almost opaque in the center, about 4 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
  5. Drain pasta, transfer to a platter or large bowl, ladle sauce over pasta, and sprinkle with basil.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market

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Sustainable Swordfish Available at Whole Foods Market

July 20th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Swordfish

Swordfish has been on the eco-worst list of seafood choices for as long as I can remember. Between high mercury levels and ocean-savaging fishing practices, this protein has been banned from my shopping list for 20 years.

In January 2007, I bashed swordfish in Making Safe Fish Choices and substituted Pacific halibut in a featured recipe for Kabobs with California Dried Plums and Bay Leaves.

But the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program now rates Hawaiian, Canadian and some U.S. swordfish as “best choices,” while discouraging the purchase of imported and certain U.S. swordfish. (Click here for the fishy details.)

And just this month, Whole Foods Market introduced sustainable swordfish that has been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). If you’re interested, shop quickly: The fish will be available only through August and while supplies last.

Whole Foods has been working with an “incredibly special fishery” in Nova Scotia, says Dan Rand, one of the natural/organic food chain’s port buyers. He and his colleagues hand-select and grade swordfish as it arrives on dock, and they choose fish that meets specific criteria: white meat, firm texture and bright blood lines. These requirements help ensure that the cooked fish has a mildly sweet flavor, optimum moistness and a meaty texture.

“To get this many fishermen on board 100% with the MSC fishery sustainability program is no easy task, and it is a testament to their commitment to the future of the fishery and the fish,” Rand says.

Caught one at a time by harpoon, a swordfish is targeted only when it’s mature. Whole Foods is working with the Canadian government to avoid overfishing, which means swordfish are caught over three 5-day intervals.

“As [Whole Foods] customers better understand the importance of certified sustainable seafood products and the rigor of the MSC’s independent, internationally recognized standard, the more consumers can play a role by their choices in realizing the vision of oceans teeming with life for this and future generations,” says Kerry Coughlin, MSC’s Americas Region director. 

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Making Safe Fish Choices

January 9th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner

Yesterday’s recipe, Halibut Kabobs with California Dried Plums and Bay Leaves, originally called for swordfish, but this posed a problem.

Swordfish is one of Environmental Defense’s worst seafood choices because of mercury content and the eco-unfriendly way it’s caught.

That said, here’s a caveat on halibut: Pacific halibut is one of Environmental Defense’s eco-best choices, but Atlantic halibut makes the eco-worst list.

So, how do you know what’s safe to buy?

As a health-conscious organic consumer, please take the time to read our article, Which Fish Is Fit to Eat?—an excellent overview of environmental pollution, sustainability, mercury content and other heath risks.

And when shopping for fish, carry Environmental Defense’s “Pocket Seafood Selector” in your wallet. You can download the PDF file by clicking here.

Read More:Making Safe Fish Choices

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