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Italy · Wahoo

Wahoo Messina-Style with Tomato, Olives and Capers

Pesce alla Ghiotta

In Messina, swordfish and other firm fish are cooked “alla ghiotta,” the greedy way: simmered in tomato with olives, capers, celery and a few raisins and pine nuts. Wahoo is perfect for it.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: VinoFamily · CC BY 2.0
Served with: Tomato Bruschetta ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the ghiotta sauce

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Start the sauce. Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan and cook the onion and celery over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
  2. Simmer. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, raisins, pine nuts and water. Simmer 12–15 minutes until slightly thick. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Sear the fish. Salt the wahoo and dust with flour. In another skillet, sear the steaks in 3 tbsp hot oil for 2 minutes per side until golden.
  4. Finish in the sauce. Slide the fish into the sauce, spoon it over the top, cover and simmer gently 5–6 minutes until just cooked through.
  5. Serve. Scatter with parsley or basil and serve with bruschetta or crusty bread to wipe the plate.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Italy

Tomato Bruschetta

Bruschetta al Pomodoro

Grilled bread rubbed with garlic and piled with juicy tomato, basil and good olive oil. Along the Italian coast it starts every seafood supper.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 5 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 6 basil leaves, torn
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 8 slices Italian country bread, ½ inch (1 cm) thick
  • 2 garlic cloves, halved

How to make it

  1. Mix the topping. Toss the tomatoes with the basil, olive oil and salt. Let stand 10 minutes so the juices come out.
  2. Grill the bread. Grill or broil the bread for 1–2 minutes a side until crisp with some char marks.
  3. Rub with garlic. Rub each hot slice with the cut side of the garlic.
  4. Top and serve. Spoon the tomatoes on top, add a drizzle of olive oil and serve right away so the bread stays crisp.

Photo: Mutari · Public domain

More ways to cook Wahoo

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Luquillo, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Wahoo Pinchos with Guava Glaze
Câmara de Lobos, Madeira, PortugalMadeira Wine-and-Garlic Marinated Wahoo
Port Royal, JamaicaJamaican Brown Stew Wahoo