Swordfish Castilian

Tonight I made Swordfish Castilian, a recipe from James Beard's New Fish Cookery. Named for the Castilian cuisine of Spain, a region marked for their fruits, stews, grilling, and seafood. This was an interesting dish that brought together a swordfish steak, pan seared, then topped it with a Castilian style tomato stew, all served over rice. Here is the recipe breakdown.

Components
-Swordfish
-Tomato stew with Cilantro and Chile Powder
-Sauteed green peppers and lemon

Preparation and Service
-Sautee peppers and top with lemon juice set aside
-Stew tomatoes with spices and cilantro for 30 minutes
-Cook Swordfish with some salt and pepper, then top and simmer in sauce
-Serving: bed of rice, steak on top, peppers next, then stew on covering the rest

Impressions
Wow this dish was really heavy. A swordfish steak is a pretty heavy protein, and being served over rice and with a heavy stew, it left me feeling bloated and stuffed. Also, I feel fish usually has a good flavor and should be accentuated by lighter flavors. I felt the heavy stew really masked the swordfish, overpowering the steak.

Next time...
-Coat the swordfish with olive oil, salt, pepper, a little chile powder and cumin, then grill rather than pan sear.
-For the topping, grill onions, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Toss them for a grilled variation of a traditional Castilian pipirrana salad.
-For sauce lemon and lime juice with olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, and cilantro to create a light vinaigrette to top the whole dish
-Service: searve with a fruit salad and cous cous.

Final Thoughts
I would score this dish a 6.5 out 10. It was good. The swordfish was beautiful, fresh, and cooked medium-well, leaving it moist and flavorful. The stew was a delicious and flavorful(and when served with the girlfriends chicken, was actually a good marriage). However, too many strong flavors, with the combination of a heavy fish, heavy stew for sauce, and a starchy rice base, it was just too much. Next time, lighten it up. However, the recipe was a good basis for potential flavor marriages and service. Hmmm... I guess this gives me an excuse to cook more so it can't be all bad.

PS. I'll try and remember to take photos in the future because this is a little bland and lacking in color.