Swordfish With Chile Pesto Recipe From Manny Cisneros
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Servings:
4 servings (8 tacos)
Ingredients
  • Dried guajillo chiles, 5 (stems removed and seeds discarded)
  • Dried ancho chiles, 3 (stems removed and seeds discarded)
  • Water, 1½ cups (boiling)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon
  • Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), ½ cup
  • Limes, 3 (2 juiced and 1 sliced into wedges for serving)
  • Cilantro leaves, ¼ cup
  • Red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon
  • Garlic cloves, 3 (roughly chopped)
  • Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon
  • Finely ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon
  • Swordfish, two 8-ounce steaks
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Corn tortillas, 8 (warmed for serving)
  • Avocado, 1 (halved, pitted and thinly sliced)
Directions
  1. Make the pesto: In a medium bowl, add the Guajillo chiles Ancho chiles Boiling water Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes. Use the tongs to transfer the chiles to a paper towel-lined large plate. Reserve ½ cup of the chile water and discard the rest.
  2. In a small skillet set over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Pumpkin seeds Cook, using the wooden spoon to stir frequently, until the pumpkin seeds are golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pumpkin seeds to a blender or a food processor and add the reserved, softened guajillo and ancho chiles, ¼ cup of the chile water and the Extra-virgin olive oil Lime juice Cilantro leaves Red pepper flakes Roughly chopped garlic Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Process until the pesto is smooth, adding more of the remaining ¼ cup of chile water if needed to thin and smooth the mixture. Use the rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Make the swordfish: Season both sides of the swordfish steaks with Extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Place a grill pan over medium heat and add the swordfish. Cook until marked from the pan, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the swordfish steaks over, cooking the other side until the fish is cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and rest the swordfish for 5 minutes before slicing crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces. Arrange the swordfish on the serving platter and serve with the chile pesto and the Warmed corn tortillas Avocado slices Lime wedges