Swordfish with Grapefruit & Rosemary Butter

This is date night in a skillet. Thick swordfish steaks get a gorgeous sear in butter, then rest under foil while you build a sauce in the same pan that’s worth every second of effort.

Minced shallots and crumbled rosemary soften in the pan drippings before a generous pour of grapefruit juice hits the heat. As it reduces to a glossy syrup, all those browned bits on the bottom dissolve into the sauce. A final swirl of cold butter makes it rich and velvety.

Spooned over the fish and finished with fresh parsley, this is the kind of meal that feels like a splurge but only takes 45 minutes and a single pan.

Chef Tips

• Use thick-cut steaks (1 ½ inches) and cook by the Canadian rule: 9 minutes per inch of thickness, flipping once. This keeps the center juicy.
• Swirl the finishing butter in off the heat, one tablespoon at a time. If the pan is too hot, the butter will break instead of emulsifying into a smooth sauce.
• Fresh grapefruit juice makes a noticeable difference over bottled. You’ll need about one large grapefruit for ¾ cup.