Grilled Fish With Pimentón Aioli

By Mark Bittman

Updated April 30, 2024

Grilled Fish With Pimentón Aioli
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(412)
Notes
Read community notes

Pimentón is made from a red pepper similar to that used to make paprika, but it’s smoked before grinding. It can be hot (though not super hot) or mild (which is called “sweet,” though the flavor is more bitter than anything else). Whether you know it or not, you’ve probably eaten it: it’s the dominant spice in chorizo. It’s also among the best examples of how appealing the addition of smoke can be. Here it goes on both the fish you’re going to grill and in the aioli you’re going to use to accompany it. The combination is outstanding.

Featured in: A Bit of Spice, a Hint of Smoke

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2teaspoons minced garlic
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3teaspoons pimentón
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2swordfish or other fish steaks, about 1½ pounds
  • ½cup mayonnaise
  • Lemon juice to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Start a grill or preheat broiler. Mix together all but ½ teaspoon garlic, some salt and pepper, half the pimentón and olive oil. Brush one side of fish steaks with this mixture (if you are broiling, brush both sides). Put on grill, sauced side down, and brush other side. Grill or broil, turning once, until done, 5 to 10 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise with remaining garlic and pimentón; add a little lemon juice and whisk; taste and adjust seasoning. Serve fish with a dollop of aioli.

Ratings

5 out of 5
412 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Emile-Victor

OK, here is a thought: Make a double batch of your "aioli" and use half to brush on your fish, prior to grilling. Your fish will be non-stick and have wonderful grill marks (caramelization) from the mayo in the aioli. Use the other half, with the lemon to serve on the side.

Artie

Gee, this is kind of a fussy comment. The title of the dish says "pimentón aioli," not just "aioli." If you are objecting to the egg in the mayo or the lemon, I have read that this is common in France (not just the US).

MaryY

Really easy and really good. Pimento is also sold as "smoked paprika" or "spanish paprika". I had both hot and sweet varieties in the cupboard, so I mixed them. The aioli is very nice, but the fish is wonderful without it if you are trying to avoid the calories. We grilled both swordfish and salmon (thanks, Andrea), and liked it on each.

Andrea

Recipe works nicely with salmon.

Phil Francisco

Made this a second time with a 1/2 recipe of Melissa Clark's Aioli <https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017662-aioli> and then adding pimentón and lemon juice to then spoon over swordfish and some grilled new potatoes and grape tomatoes that had fresh chopped rosemary and marjoram and extra-virgin olive oil. Yum!!! Very fresh and very "alive".

Ellen

The paprika mixture stayed put on the fish on the grill, unlike so many marinades that drip off right away. It lent a distinctive taste that went well with the fish, and it looked spectacular. I made the aioli several hours ahead to allow the flavors to blend and the garlic to mellow. Note that the recipe makes quite a bit, two tablespoons per serving of fish. That was twice as much as seemed ideal, so I'll cut that back next time. Served with tomato bread salad with horizon and herbs.

Andrea

Not only is the aioli fantastic on the fish, but also great on potatos. An easy guest dinner.

lynda

Hot or sweet pimeton? Or is it personal preference?

Paul

As someone noted, double up on the garlic and pimentón in the aioli. Even double up on the aioli to use with grilled small potatoes for a wonderful pairing.

Mark

I cook a fair amount of foods from Spain, so I'm not unfamiliar with pimenton. While I thought that the aioli used on the fish worked, I also felt that the pimenton in the aioli didn't. The fish was flavored nicely and the pimenton was very subtle and pleasant. If I do this again, I'll either soften the aioli by omitting the pimenton and adding fresh herbs like basil or cilantro or I'll skip the aioli altogether for a beurre blanc or another sauce.

Paul Z

I should have made a bit more of the marinade, but there was enough to make the fish quite tasty. The "aioli"was just OK, though. (Maybe I just don't like mayonnaise, I dunno.) Used a grill pan, served with green beans and couscous and a nice Chardonnay. Going into the rotation.

Andre

Emile’s comment on making a double batch of aioli was a stroke of genius. i didn’t double the mayo, just added all the ingredients together, slathered 2 fish portions in half the mix and grilled 4 minutes each side at 600 F in the Weber grill. best fish i’ve ever made.

Anonymous

Quite good with swordfish. Definitely finished in 5 minutes. Don’t overcook.

Mike B

This recipe is so simple and amazing. Only thing I change is add a little lemon juice to the aioli. No matter how many steaks I buy they always get eaten.

MMC

I made this with swordfish steaks last night, and everyone loved it. I used a bit more garlic in both the grill sauce and the aioli. I order terrific Spanish pimentón from La Tienda: https://www.tienda.com/products/smoked-paprika-trio-la-dalia-pk-12.html. I will use leftover aioli to brush on chicken or pork tenderloin before grilling. Served with first corn on the cob and a simple salad of arugula, shaved Italian parm, and lemon vinaigrette. Yum!

ESB

This is good and easy. I didn’t have pimentón so I used paprika. I used lots of lemon juice and added some cayenne to the aioli. It is a nice sauce.

Paola

Made this outstanding recipe with 1.5 pound halibut fillets (about 5-6 inches thick). I put the rub and aioli sauce ingredients in the food processor (I have a small one for sauces). I also made double the aioli and could have made triple the amount and it probably would have been gobbled up by my guests too. Cooked the fillets on cedar planks over a low charcoal fire of 300 degrees and kept them covered most of the time (roughly 25 minutes). The result was very yummy!

Bryn Mooth

Done with red drum … excellent

Sherryl

I made this with swordfish which is wonderful on it's own but the aioli was a wonderful touch. I purchased pimenton the last time I was in France but I think you can find it almost anywhere.

Emile-Victor

OK, here is a thought: Make a double batch of your "aioli" and use half to brush on your fish, prior to grilling. Your fish will be non-stick and have wonderful grill marks (caramelization) from the mayo in the aioli. Use the other half, with the lemon to serve on the side.

Luther

Superb! Easy recipe. The aioli was excellent with the halibut. Olive oil mixture for coating the fish is a great addition. Grilled on charcoal grill at 450 degrees offset from heat for 5 minutes per side. Very tasty and enjoyable.

jodyinparis

massy liked it a lot. it was easy, i used tiny potatoes and cubed the swordfish and used the bought mayo. it needed more garlic.

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