Swordfish with Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa

I can’t say that I know much about Hawaiian food, past that I assume is it fish-heavy and influenced by tropical and Asian/Polynesian flavors (with their favorite canned meat, Spam, sprinkled in, of course). So when I was given the opportunity to review Tommy Bahama‘s FLAVORS of ALOHA: Cooking with Tommy Bahama (paid link), I was really curious to see what the cookbook had in store.

 

 

The cookbook is filled with quite the range of dishes, from appetizers to dessert. Written by Rick Rodgers, the cookbook transports you to Hawaii through 100+ island-inspired recipes including:

• Tuna Poke with Guacamole and Flatbread
• Flavorful Ono Oxtail Soup
• Saimin with Asian Chicken Broth (arguably Hawaii’s state dish)
• Steamed Sea Bass with Ginger Dipping Sauce
• Huli Huli Pork Tenderloin and Pineapple with Old-School Teriyaki Marinade
• Pineapple Crème Brulee
• Hibiscus Lime Cooler

 

 

The cookbook also contains little facts about Hawaiian culture and history as well as tips for eating, drinking, and “living the life,” FLAVORS OF ALOHA invites aspiring cooks of all abilities to embrace the Tommy Bahama spirit by taking an “island time” approach to cooking for family and friends. Plus the photos are gorgeous!

 

 

I wanted to use this opportunity to work with a seafood I rarely make (although I am absolutely going to have to make the Kona Flan in the near future!) and adapted the cookbook’s recipe for Mahi Mahi with Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa to use swordfish instead.

 

Adapted from Flavors of Aloha, Cooking with Tommy Bahama

Ingredients:

Papaya Salsa:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup diced papaya

Swordfish:

• 1/2 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 4 swordfish steaks, about 6 oz each
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Mix the lime juice, brown sugar, shallots, cilantro, crystallized ginger, Sriracha, and garlic together in a medium sized bowl, stirring until the brown sugar dissolves. Mix in the papaya. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (you can make this ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 4 hours.)

 

When ready to cook the fish, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Finely chop the macadamia nuts and mix with the panko in a shallow dish.

 

Season the swordfish with salt and pepper. Lightly brush the fish with the egg white and coat the fish in the panko-macadamia nut mixture, patting it on to help it adhere.

 

Transfer to a plate and let stand for 10 minutes to allow the coating to set.

 

Melt the butter with the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the swordfish steaks and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the steaks and add the pan to the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until just cooked through.

 

Serve with the papaya salsa.

 

I loved the fresh sweet and spicy salsa paired with the crunchy crust of the macadamia-panko mixture. Swordfish has a very meaty texture so this recipe was super filling as well.

 

 

I really appreciated how simple this recipe was, and how quickly it came together. We were eating within 30 minutes of me starting this recipe! It was nice to have a little tropical escape on a cold night as well. I can’t wait to cook more recipes from this book!