So let’s get started! January brings the inevitable new year’s resolutions and new year’s hopes. This year, James and I are embarking on a very public health-spirited exercise! We were in the UK visiting James’s family over the holidays, where we learned that his sister and her husband were planning on doing a dry January. Considering that James and I had practically bathed in mulled wine, gin and tonics, and juicy IPAs during November and December, I heartily signed us both up as well (I think James may have tried to protest at this point??). However, I then upped the ante by musing that I’d always wanted to see what would happen if I cut out all added sugars too. I freaking love baking, and I never met anything with butter and sugar that I didn’t love. I’ve been known to eat cookies for breakfast, and practically daily ice creams in the summer. If I haven’t had sugar in awhile, I crave it, very distinctly, and often in the form of a Mars bar that makes your teeth ache. I was also jealous of the positive reports from people who had cut or reduced added sugar in their diets, and I wanted to similarly recalibrate and reset my taste buds. As I was explaining this, James’s sister’s eyes lit up, and James’s parents decided to join the conversation at exactly the wrong time. And so, it was settled. James’s whole family – his parents, his sister’s family, and us – would be doing a dry, no added sugar January.

We are 13 days in, and this experiment has been FASCINATING. I have become obsessed with labels and the multiple, insidious ways that sugar sneaks in and lurks in our foods. Sugar is truly everywhere. Besides the obvious culprits (flavored yogurt, pasta sauce, ketchup, granola), there is also added sugar in Italian sausage, panko breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and most brands of mayonnaise. Dried fruit can contain added sugar. There is dextrose in packaged turkey lunchmeat. There is honey in beef broth. It’s become a game, going to the supermarket and seeing which is the most outlandish thing we can find that has added sugar.

Which is why, I am happy to report, this recipe for delicious, buttery, garlicky swordfish has absolutely no added sugar! Swordfish is not something I’ve ever cooked before, and I’ve probably eaten it a total of 5 times in my entire life. So when James suggested it at the supermarket, I thought he was being very adventurous, and I was more than a little apprehensive (also because it’s quite an expensive experiment!). But I must say – after one bite of the swordfish cooked in this easy, no-fuss recipe, I have become an ardent fan. Swordfish is a dense, meaty fish with a mild, sweet flavor. It’s been referred to as the chicken of the sea, and is accordingly versatile.

This recipe is simple, super easy, and I think really highlights the sweetness of the fish (or is that just my sugar-starved taste buds talking?!). It’s a versatile recipe as well, and I imagine you can substitute other kinds of meaty fish such as tuna, mahi-mahi, or even salmon. If you’ve never cooked swordfish before, I really recommend trying it! Look for white fillets that may be tinged pink or orange. Avoid gray looking fish. Thicker steaks are much more resistant to overcooking, so try to buy fillets that are at least one inch thick. I think swordfish has become a great addition to our seafood repertoire – it’s easy, really delicious, light, and best of all, requires no added sugar for maximum flavor!

We served the swordfish with some leftover asparagus risotto and sauteed broccoli. You could also serve this with some pesto pasta, roast potatoes, or roasted vegetables, and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes to an hour!

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Pan-Roasted Swordfish with Garlic Peppercorn Butter

Source: Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorns of your choice, plus more for sprinkling (I used a mix of black peppercorns and Szechuan peppercorns)
• 1/2 teaspoon (packed) grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 1-inch thick swordfish fillets (about 6 ounces each)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mash butter, parsley, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorns, and lemon peel together in small bowl.
• Heat oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet (I used a cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle swordfish with salt and ground peppercorns on both sides.
• Add swordfish to skillet. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip swordfish over and transfer to oven. Roast until just cooked through and fish flakes easily, about 10 minutes longer.
• Transfer swordfish to plates and add butter mixture to same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping up browned bits, until mixture is melted and bubbling. Pour butter sauce over swordfish and serve.