I know. It seems weird serving orange in a burger, but bear with me. This is no ordinary burger.
Winter season in California means Citrus season. And citrus season doesn’t just mean desserts and juices. May I present to you my delicious, zesty Grilled Swordfish Sandwich stacked with a herbaceous, crunchy Fennel Slaw and juicy orange segments.
Fennel and Orange seem like natural soulmates: citrus and anise are flavors that will always be in style, but never more so than during the California winter. Pairing them with the firm, creamy flesh of Swordfish is a match made in heaven.
Citrus fruit is so amazingly versatile that I could serve it with almost every meal. I had a eureka moment one day whilst absent-mindedly peeling a Cara Cara Orange and thinking about what to serve with the Swordfish fillets sitting in my fridge. The peachy-pink interior of the Cara Cara, redolent of a grapefruit, but sweet like oranges, made me think of a light, fresh, crisp slaw.
I buy Swordfish only for special occasions because of sustainability concerns, but you could simply replace the Swordfish with Tuna or Mahi Mahi fillets (or any firm fleshed fish). I grill it very simply, with just a little seasoning, for about 3-4 minutes per side.
The real star of this dish though, is my versatile Fennel Citrus Slaw. Now, I think you could serve this alongside grilled chicken, with shrimp or even tofu, but it is particularly fine with the charred Swordfish.
I do recommend that you use a mandolin if you have one. I have been known in the past to use a cheese slicer to achieve those wafer thin slices so desirable in a slaw. However, if you take this route, please take great care! Actually, take care with a mandolin too, these things can be dangerous! Of course, you could always use a knife and fastidious slicing skills to achieve the same effect.
Mixed with the juicy segments of the beautiful pink Cara Cara Orange, a little Aioli and some seasoning, I could literally eat this slaw straight from the bowl.
Don’t want the bread? Fine. Serve this in a crisp lettuce bun instead. Or serve it in your favorite sandwich with cold-cuts. Leftovers will not be a thing.
And if you needed anymore motivation, did I mention that this recipe uses just five ingredients? So what better excuse to make the most of the short but oh so sweet citrus season by making my delicious and easy Grilled Swordfish Sandwich with Fennel Citrus Slaw?
