tilapia filets | Bewitching Kitchen

I never thought of grilling tilapia filets because they are too delicate, but pan-grilling worked so well that I can see it as my method of choice from now on. Normally I would either pan fry them after coating with flour, or follow a lighter route, baking in the oven. However, when the weather outside is the way I like it (mid to high 90’s yeaaaaaah!) I rather not turn our oven on. The inspiration for this meal came from Cooking Light magazine, but I definitely took off in my own direction.

PAN-GRILLED TILAPIA FILETS WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA AND AVOCADO CREAM
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the fish
4 tilapia filets
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper

for the avocado cream
2 small avocados
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup fat-free yogurt (or full fat)
1 to 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper
lime juice to taste

Mix the olive oil with the smoked paprika in a small bowl. Lay the filets on parchment paper, season lightly with salt and pepper. Brush both sides with the smoked paprika oil. Heat a grill pan, when hot spray it lightly with oil. Add the filets and cook 2 minutes per side or until done (they should flake easily and have nice grill marks).

For the avocado cream, blend all ingredients except the lime juice in a small food processor or blender, until very smooth. Taste and add lime juice for a nice balance of flavor, as the orange juice tends to make it a little sweet. If you want a more runny consistency, add a little water (or any of the juices according to your taste). Serve cold or even chilled.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a delicious dinner, very quick to prepare, light and absolutely perfect for the weather we are having! I served the fish with blistered grape tomatoes. Simply heat a very small amount of olive oil in a non-stick pan, when screaming hot, add the tomatoes (whole), season with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Shake the pan around a few times, once they start to get blisters all over, they are done. This side dish will be ready in 5 minutes, and the tomatoes can sit and wait, no need to serve them too hot. (Did you notice I just gave you three recipes in a single blog post? Am I generous or what? ;-))

The avocado cream soothes the heat of the smoked paprika, and serving it cold was a nice move. If you like your fish more heavily seasoned, add more smoked paprika, some extra black pepper, or even some garlic. We prefer to have the flavor of the fish to come through first. The small amount of paprika was enough to give the oil a beautiful, intense red color…

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Before I leave you… Since I’m on the subject of fish dinners, Kelly from Inspired Edibles recently blogged on a great recipe for sole filets. After seasoning the filets in a lime-chili marinade, she coated them with quinoa flakes and baked in the oven. Click here to read her post about it. I pinned her version to try once the weather cools down a little. Sounds absolutely delicious!

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Citrus and fish, unbeatable combo! Until now, I accepted the idea that one of my favorite preparations for delicate fish filets came with a small tax to pay for the fat used to fry it. But, when I saw this recipe on How Sweet It Is, I hoped it would be my ticket to a lighter version of the classic. To be completely honest, I had my doubts, because not too long ago I tried a similar method for pork schnitzel (from Everyday Food) and it was a huge disappointment. I am glad to report NO disappointment here, quite the contrary, this recipe is a keeper!

CITRUS CRUSTED TILAPIA
(adapted from How Sweet It Is)

4 fresh (or thawed) tilapia filets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
zest of 2 oranges, 1 lime and 1 lemon
2 egg whites, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the wire rack with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, add bread crumbs, flour, citrus zest and a pinch of salt. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg whites, add a teaspoon of water to make it looser.

Season each piece of tilapia with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of fish in the beaten egg whites, allow the excess to drip, then coat with your mixture of breadcrumbs, pressing well to adhere. Place on the wire rack and spray lightly with olive oil spray.

Bake for about 18 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden. Depending on how thick your filets are, it could take slightly longer. Test with a knife to see if the fish flakes easily, then it’s done.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Jessica served her fish filets with a beautiful blood orange salsa, perfect complement to the dish, but this time I took a more austere route, went with white rice and stove top blasted broccoli (a favorite side dish of ours).

This recipe was a breeze to put together, the fish turned out moist, perfectly cooked, with the crust delivering a burst of citric flavor. The secret for success is spraying the olive oil over the coating before baking the filets. That ensures just the right amount of fat to moisten the crumb layer and give it a hint of color. Much lighter than the usual method with a frying pan, but without skimping on flavor. I am not at all interested in reducing calories if it will hurt my food. This is a perfect example of a make-over that is worth adding to your repertoire of meals.

I highly recommend you stop by How Sweet It Is to get her full recipe, including the blood orange salsa. It will be on our table next time, all I need is to find that elusive orange for sale. 😉

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