# Swordfish Belly with Caponata, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Delicata Squash, and Braised Romano Beans > Rich swordfish belly gets a bright, sweet-sour spoonful of eggplant caponata, with tender Romano beans braised in tomato and basil alongside. Deeply browned delicata crescents and sweet potato wedges bring crisp edges and earthy sweetness to this late-September plate. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/swordfish-belly-with-caponata-roasted-sweet-potato-fries-delicata-braised-romano - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-09-24 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Swordfish Belly with Caponata, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Delicata Squash, and Braised Romano Beans](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F1498dd321b476aad.jpg) ## Gently Roasted Swordfish Belly Covered, low-temperature roasting keeps the fatty belly moist and its surface pale, letting the caponata supply acidity and contrast. ### Ingredients - 1.5 lb swordfish belly, skin and tough connective tissue removed - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp water - 0.75 tsp kosher salt, or to taste - 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Pat the fish dry and cut into broad pieces of similar thickness, approximately 1–1½ inches thick. 2. Arrange in a snug baking dish. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and pour the water around the fish. Cover tightly with a lid or foil. 3. Roast for 15–25 minutes, checking thinner pieces first. Cook until the center reaches 145°F and the flesh is opaque but still moist; remove individual pieces as they finish. 4. Rest for 3 minutes, then lift carefully from the cooking juices and serve with caponata. ### Notes - Thickness matters more than weight; begin checking pieces thinner than 1 inch after 10 minutes. - Swordfish is a high-mercury fish and is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding people or young children. ## Roasted Eggplant Caponata Roasted eggplant absorbs the sweet-sour tomato dressing without becoming oily. Capers, olives, and vinegar cut through the richness of swordfish belly. ### Ingredients - 1 lb eggplant, cut into ¾-inch cubes - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided - 0.75 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste - 1 small yellow onion, diced - 2 stalks celery, sliced ¼ inch thick - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 8 oz ripe tomatoes, diced - 0.25 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped - 1 tbsp capers, drained - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar - 2 tsp honey - 2 tbsp torn basil leaves ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until browned and completely tender. 2. Meanwhile, put the remaining tablespoon olive oil, onion, celery, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened without much browning. 3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until thick and saucy. 4. Fold in the roasted eggplant, olives, capers, vinegar, and honey. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, keeping the eggplant pieces intact. 5. Remove from the heat, fold in the basil, and rest for at least 15 minutes. Taste for salt and vinegar; serve warm or at room temperature. ### Notes - The finished caponata should be chunky and glossy, not soupy. Add a spoonful of water if it becomes pasty, or simmer uncovered if watery. - This can be made a day ahead; its flavor improves as it rests. ## Roasted Sweet Potato Fries Thick wedges develop browned edges while retaining a creamy center. White-fleshed sweet potatoes give the restrained sweetness and pale interior seen on the plate. ### Ingredients - 1 lb white-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed - 1.5 tbsp olive oil - 0.5 tsp kosher salt - 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the unpeeled sweet potatoes into long wedges approximately ½ inch thick at their widest point. 2. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet with a cut side down and space between the pieces. 3. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes, until browned along the edges and tender through the center. 4. Taste for salt and serve promptly, leaving uncovered so the edges do not steam. ### Notes - Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes also work but will be sweeter and somewhat softer. ## Roasted Delicata Squash Delicata's edible skin holds the crescents together while their cut surfaces caramelize. Simple seasoning keeps the squash distinct from the tangy caponata. ### Ingredients - 1 lb delicata squash - 1 tbsp olive oil - 0.5 tsp kosher salt - 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut into ½-inch-thick crescents, leaving the skin on. 2. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. 3. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the cut surfaces are deeply golden and the flesh is tender but not collapsing. ### Notes - Use a separate tray from the sweet potatoes, or keep them in separate zones on a large tray so each can be removed when ready. ## Romano Beans Braised with Tomato and Basil Romano beans become silky rather than crisp when gently braised. Fresh tomatoes reduce around them into a savory sauce, with basil added late to preserve its fragrance. ### Ingredients - 1 lb Romano beans, stem ends trimmed and long beans halved crosswise - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 1 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped with their juices - 0.5 cup water, plus more as needed - 0.75 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste - 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 0.25 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn - 1 tsp red wine vinegar ### Instructions 1. Warm the olive oil in a wide, lidded saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 7–8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 2. Add the tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. 3. Fold in the beans, cover, and simmer gently for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans bend easily and are tender throughout. Add small splashes of water if the sauce threatens to catch. 4. Uncover and simmer for another 3–5 minutes if needed to thicken the tomato sauce. Stir in the basil and vinegar, then adjust the salt. ### Notes - These are intentionally soft braised beans, not bright-green, crisp-tender beans. Mature Romano beans may need an additional 10 minutes. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The caponata and beans tolerate resting, freeing the oven for a high-heat vegetable roast followed by gentle fish cooking. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the eggplant and put it in to roast. Start the caponata aromatics and the Romano bean braise in separate pans. 2. 0:15 — Cut and season the sweet potatoes and delicata. Put the sweet potatoes in the oven as space allows; add the squash about 5–10 minutes later. Keep all trays uncrowded and rotate racks for even browning. 3. 0:30 — Fold the roasted eggplant into the caponata, finish its seasoning, and set aside. Continue braising the beans until fully tender. 4. 0:45–0:55 — Remove the roasted vegetables as they finish. Reduce the oven to 300°F and briefly open the door to release excess heat. Prepare the fish in its covered baking dish. 5. 0:55 — Roast the fish. Keep the beans covered over very low heat and the roasted vegetables uncovered in a warm place. 6. 1:10–1:20 — Check the fish for 145°F, rest briefly, and plate. If desired, recrisp the vegetables under the broiler for 1–2 minutes while the fish rests, watching closely. ### Notes - For a small oven, roast the eggplant ahead or make the caponata the previous day. Allow up to 90 minutes total if the vegetables need to roast in batches. ## Plating Keeping the tomato-braised beans separate from the roasted vegetables preserves the contrast between soft, saucy textures and browned edges. ### Instructions 1. Spoon the Romano beans and their tomato sauce onto one side of each warm plate. 2. Arrange the sweet potato wedges and delicata crescents together beside the beans, keeping them mostly clear of the sauce. 3. Place the swordfish pieces in the remaining space and spoon caponata over their centers, leaving some pale fish visible. 4. Serve with any remaining caponata at the table. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects the roasted vegetables from moisture and allows the fish to be reheated gently rather than simmered in sauce. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the fish, caponata, beans, and roasted vegetables in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use the fish within 2 days and the vegetables within 3–4 days. 2. For a warm meal, reheat the beans in a covered saucepan with a splash of water. Recrisp the sweet potatoes and squash in a 400°F oven for 10–15 minutes. 3. Warm the fish covered with a spoonful of water in a 300°F oven until it reaches 165°F; stop promptly to limit drying. Serve the caponata at room temperature or gently warmed. 4. Alternatively, flake the chilled fish into a next-day salad with leftover caponata, serving the beans and roasted vegetables alongside. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.