Swordfish au Poivre Is Proof That Fish Is Just as Good as Steak
Chefs are swapping steak for swordfish in this reimagined French bistro classic.
Julie Soefer
Swordfish au poivre is having a moment. The historically underrated, dense-fleshed fish is stepping in for filet mignon in a rethinking of the peppercorn-crusted classic. Here are two versions that stood out to our restaurant editor, Khushbu Shah.
Claud (New York City)
The swordfish and au poivre pairing makes complete sense, says chef Joshua Pinsky: “Swordfish has a really cool texture. It’s very versatile, it can marinate well — it’s kind of like meat!” During the pandemic, Pinsky would regularly throw local swordfish on the grill as an affordable alternative to steak. When it came time to open Claud, a French-inspired wine bar in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, he thought of swordfish au poivre for the menu. But pescatarian-friendly this dish is not.
Since Pinsky isn't a fan of super creamy sauces, he cuts the traditional cream and Cognac au poivre base with schmaltz, butter, chicken stock, and red wine, then adds his peppercorn mixture (pink, black, and green). He reduces it down until it's thick and flavorful and finishes it with a hit of housemade Calabrian chile vinegar. "The sauce came out to be really peppery and meaty," says Pinsky. "We were grilling [the swordfish] on charcoal, so it was getting all these components that were trying to be like meat. This is what the fish warranted."
Navy Blue (Houston)
Chef Aaron Bludorn has been cooking steak au poivre for years — a dish he became proficient with while working at Café Boulud. But, similar to Pinsky, it wasn't until the pandemic that he was able to see how versatile au poivre sauce could be. "My brother-in-law was doing a lot of deep sea fishing and he'd routinely come back with swordfish," Bludorn says. He'd wind up preparing the swordfish just like he would a steak, searing it in a cast iron skillet and topping it with green peppercorn jus.
Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco
Come 2022, Bludorn realized that his swordfish au poivre would make a perfect addition to his new, seafood-forward restaurant, Navy Blue. "It's something different yet familiar," he says. "We know that swordfish can be very robust and au poivre sauce lends itself to the fish very well." Like Pinsky, Bludorn takes his au poivre in a meaty direction by fortifying the pickled green peppercorn sauce with chicken jus as well as halibut bones “to give it a more fishy essence," then finishing it with reduced cream. The swordfish gets covered in the complex sauce and served alongside a confit pommes cake — layered potatoes that are simmered in duck fat, pressed into a cake, then topped with garlic aioli.
Though not necessarily pescatarian, the grilled fish is a slightly more sustainable alternative to steak— a swap that could ensure we’re able to enjoy meaty au poivre dishes for decades to come.
For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Food & Wine.
