Name: Grilled Swordfish en Pipian
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds; ¼ teaspoon ground cumin; 2 to 6 jalapeño or serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (for a hotter marinade, leave the seeds in); 6 swordfish steaks (each 6 to 8 ounces and about 1 inch thick); 4 to 6 fresh jalapeño peppers, 6 to 10 serrano peppers, or 1 poblano pepper, cut in half lengthwise and seeded (for a hotter sauce, leave the seeds in); ½ small onion; 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoons lard or extra-virgin olive oil; ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few tablespoons for garnish; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; Salt; 2 sprigs epazote (optional), finely chopped; 8 fresh tomatillos (see Note); 2½ cups fish stock, bottled clam broth, chicken broth, or water; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more to taste; 4 cloves garlic, peeled; 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces; ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro; 2 romaine lettuce leaves, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Barbecue Bible

By Steven Raichlen

Published 1998

About

Pipián refers to a family of Mexican sauces made with pepitas, hulled green pumpkin seeds. The toasted, ground seeds serve as both a flavoring and thickener. Pipián is found all over Mexico, but especially in the southwestern state of Guerrero, where it goes by the name of mole verde (green sauce). The sauce’s relative mildness makes it heaven-sent for seafood. This recipe pairs the sauce with swordfish, but you can also serve it with salmon, snapper, shrimp, or