Gordon Ramsay’s swordfish is marinated in sesame oil, lime, garlic, and rosemary, then griddled for just 1 minute per side until the flesh turns from translucent to pale cream. Served on cherry tomatoes and cucumber ribbons with a pineapple and chilli salsa. Ready in 30 minutes plus marinating.

This recipe is from his BBC Good Food feature (May 2005), where he calls the exact moment of perfect doneness the “cuisson” and says to watch the colour change in the flesh. In his MasterClass, he names swordfish as a fish that works with his sesame crust technique because it has “little fat and no skin.”

The criss-cross griddle marks are not just for looks. Ramsay’s tip is to give the steaks a quarter turn after the first 30 seconds on each side. That extra contact with the hot ridges builds more flavour on the surface without adding any extra cooking time.

Gordon Ramsay’s Griddled Swordfish with Pineapple Chilli Salsa

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: DinnersCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

479

kcal

Total time

minutes

From Ramsay’s BBC Good Food feature (May 2005). Swordfish marinated in sesame oil and lime, griddled 1 minute per side, with a fresh pineapple salsa pounded in a mortar. Around 479 kcal per serving.

Ingredients

For the swordfish and marinade:
800g (1¾ lb) loin of swordfish, or 4 steaks about 180g each, cut 2cm thick
120ml olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 large garlic clove, lightly crushed
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed
2 good pinches of sea salt
For the pineapple and chilli salsa:
1 just-ripe medium pineapple, peeled and diced
1 small shallot, chopped
2 large red chillies, slit, deseeded and chopped
1 stick fresh lemongrass, peeled and diced
1 large garlic clove
Juice of 1 lime
4 spring onions, peeled and roughly chopped
20g fresh root ginger, peeled and diced
10 large coriander leaves, finely chopped
8 large basil leaves, shredded
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp to finish
To serve:
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Cucumber, shaved into pappardelle ribbons
Little gem lettuce, halved and roasted

Directions

Trim and cut: Trim the swordfish of any fatty layers and cut out any bloodstained flesh. Cut into 4 chunky steaks about 2cm thick. The thickness must be even for a perfect cuisson.
Marinate: Mix the 120ml olive oil, 1 tbsp sesame oil, juice of 1 lime, garlic clove, salt, and rosemary in a shallow dish. Add the fish, turn to coat, cover, and chill from 1 hour to a day, turning once or twice.
Make the salsa base: Blitz two thirds of the diced pineapple in a blender with 1 tsp salt, the shallot, 2 tbsp olive oil, and the remaining 1 tbsp sesame oil until smooth.
Pound the chilli paste: Place the chillies, lemongrass, garlic clove, and lime juice in a mortar. Roughly crush, then work in the spring onions and ginger to form a paste.
Combine the salsa: Add the chopped coriander and shredded basil to the chilli paste. Mix with the pineapple purée and remaining diced pineapple. Pour into a bowl, drizzle over the last 1 tbsp olive oil. Cover and chill for up to a day.
Griddle the swordfish: Heat a griddle pan until really hot. Drain the steaks and place on the griddle. Watch the flesh change from translucent to pale cream: 1 minute. Turn and cook for 1 more minute. No more. For criss-cross marks, give the steaks a quarter turn after the first 30 seconds on each side.
Serve: Arrange the cherry tomatoes, cucumber pappardelle, and roasted lettuce on plates. Drizzle over the salsa and top with the swordfish.

FAQs

Why does Ramsay cook swordfish for only 1 minute per side?

Swordfish dries out faster than almost any other fish because there’s no skin holding moisture in and barely any fat to keep it juicy. One minute too long on the griddle and it turns chalky and tough. Ramsay griddles it for 1 minute per side and says “no more” because the residual heat finishes the cooking on the plate.

He treats his tuna steak exactly the same way because tuna has the same problem: no skin, no fat, dries out in seconds. In his MasterClass, he groups the two together as fish that need protecting during the sear, either with a sesame crust or a very short cook time.

What does cuisson mean and how do you spot it?

It’s a French kitchen word for the exact point of perfect doneness. Ramsay uses it in this recipe when he says “watch the flesh change from translucent to pale cream.” That colour shift is the cuisson. Once you see pale cream creeping halfway up the side of the steak, flip it.

Nobody in a professional kitchen sets a timer for fish. You watch the side of the steak and react to what you see. That’s also why Ramsay insists the steaks must be even in thickness: uneven steaks cook unevenly and you lose the cuisson on the thin end before the thick end is ready.

Can you use the sesame crust technique on swordfish?

In his MasterClass, Ramsay says “this technique works well with other fish that have little fat and no skin, such as swordfish and mahi mahi.” Brush the fish with whisked egg white, press sesame seeds into both sides, and sear over medium heat for 30 seconds per side. The sesame crust acts as a barrier between the flesh and the hot pan.

Add lime zest under the crust before pressing the seeds on for extra fragrance. Serve on pickled cucumber ribbons with a soy and ginger dressing instead of the pineapple salsa. His tuna tartare from Chef’s Secrets treats swordfish and tuna as interchangeable when both are sashimi-grade.

How do you pick fresh swordfish?

Ramsay’s BBC Good Food tips say “swordfish has really compact flesh that stands up to aggressive cooking on a grill.” When buying, look for fish with clean, white flesh free from any bloody streaks. Remove any fat and marks from the bottom before cooking. In Chef’s Secrets, he says to “trim off any dark flesh and neaten the edges.”

Buy from the fishmonger’s counter and ask them to cut steaks to 2cm thick so they’re even. If you want a different sauce, try his chimichurri drizzled over the griddled fish for a herby, sharp alternative to the pineapple salsa.

What does Ramsay serve with griddled swordfish?

Cherry tomatoes, cucumber shaved into pappardelle ribbons, and roasted little gem lettuce. The lettuce goes under a hot grill until the edges char while the heart stays cool and crunchy. The fish sits on top of the salad bed, not beside it, and the salsa is drizzled over everything.

For something simpler, a green salad with lime dressing works because the acidity cuts through the sesame oil. His fish and chips takes a completely different approach to fish, but both recipes share the same rule: cook the fish fast, don’t fuss with it, and let it be the star.