Espada com banana
Photo: Adriao · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Peixe-espada preto lives 800 to 1,200 metres down and is caught on long lines set overnight off Câmara de Lobos, which is why the fish reaches Funchal fresh while almost nowhere else in Europe sells it. The flesh is white, soft and almost boneless. Pairing it with banana was a 20th century restaurant idea that worked because both are island staples, and the passion fruit sauce came later again. Purists in Funchal will tell you the banana is for visitors, then order it anyway.

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Common allergens: Fish, Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 4 black scabbard fillets, about 500g total
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 firm bananas, halved lengthways
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • 100ml passion fruit pulp
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Season the fillets with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon and leave for 10 minutes.
  2. Warm the passion fruit pulp with the sugar in a small pan over a low heat for 4 minutes until slightly thickened, then set aside.
  3. Dust each fillet in flour, shake off the excess and pass it through the beaten egg.
  4. Heat half the olive oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat and fry the fillets for 2 to 3 minutes a side until golden. Lift onto kitchen paper.
  5. Add the rest of the oil, lay in the halved bananas cut side down and fry for 2 minutes a side until caramelised at the edges.
  6. Plate a fillet with a banana half alongside and spoon the warm passion fruit sauce over the fish.

Tip from the editors. If black scabbard is unavailable, use hake or a thin sea bass fillet. Do not substitute smoked fish, which fights the banana.

Where to eat espada com banana

Espada com banana in Funchal

Armazém do Sal ★ 4.5

€€€ Contemporary PortugueseSé

Armazém do Sal works a Mediterranean and contemporary Portuguese carte on Rua da Alfândega, billing itself as a warehouse of flavours in central Funchal.

PourA Portuguese red with the grilled squid

WinePortuguese bottles alongside a Mediterranean and contemporary carte

FoodFull kitchen

TipThe house publishes no schedule online, so call ahead for lunch. Reservations go through the site or by phone.

Directions

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