Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia

Tilapia is a great fish if you're cooking for a mixed group; it is tender and flakey enough for fish-lovers, yet mild enough that non-fish-lovers definitely enjoy it too. Tilapia is a very mild white fish and doesn't taste 'fishy' at all. It is usually a great one for beginners. 

Parmesan cheese has a strong sharp flavor that is perfect for flavoring this mild filet of fish. The paprika and parsley are more for color and visual appeal than for flavor. Interestingly enough though, dried parsley is a surprising nutritious source of lycopene- the antioxidant most well known as one of the great health components of tomatoes. (Which reminds me that I also served these tasty filets with roasted tomatoes -another post where I discuss lycopene in more detail).

I accompanied this tilapia with creamy risotto and roasted tomatoes. If you have all your ingredients ready to go, you can make this entire meal in 30 minutes start to finish. We'll start with the fish...

Recipe (makes 4 tilapia filets):

• Four 4 oz. Tilapia filets
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground Paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Parsley
• a couple shakes of ground Black Pepper
• Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and drizzle a little olive oil on the foil so that it's ready for the fish.

Mix the parmesan, paprika, parsley, and pepper in a dish.

Gently pat the fish filets dry with a paper towel, and drizzle with some olive oil.

Sprinkle the parm-mixture evenly over each of the filets, gently pressing it into the olive oil on each side -especially on the top :)
Lay the filets on the olive-oiled-foil ...trust me, do not skip the olive oil here! Fish is tender and flakey and it would be terrible if your beautiful filets fell to pieces because they stuck to the foil while trying to get them off.

Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes or until the parmesan topping is golden and the fish is cooked through.

They are GORGEOUS, HEALTHY and DELICIOUS. And SO easy! Who knew!? 

That is a delicious crust on the fish, and see how beautifully the paprika colored it!

Just look at how wonderfully flakey it is! No mushy fish here :)

I served my tilapia filets with creamy risotto and roasted tomatoes. You can have this entire healthy, fancy meal on the table in just 30 minutes!

Honey-Ginger Salmon

Hot weather makes you want to BBQ,  be outside, eat lighter meals, and start dreaming about days on the beach!

Not only have Peter and I officially started beach season with our first volleyball match here at main beach, but we have been heating up our BBQ more often, and we even started running together! Man I love these long, summer days! 

I *cough* used to be a runner, and Peter... well, let's just say swimming has always been his strong suit (no pun intended).  So, we are taking advantage of this beautiful weather -and the opportunity to motivate each other- by going on runs together. After a run, the last thing we want is to eat something heavy, so we have started eating more fish! 

You've probably noticed that I don't cook seafood very often ever. This isn't because I don't like fish, but rather because I simply never think of it. I grew up in a meat & potatoes kind of family, so fish recipes have not been handed down in family cookbooks or served at our tables. This is funny, though, because my family is full of fishermen! We all love fishing! Most kids grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons, but my big brother made my sister and I watch 'Bill Dance' bass fishing in leu of cartoon time. Even family vacations always included fishing- whether it was in a river, lake, or an ocean. ...All of this, and we still weren't big fish eaters!?!? What was wrong with us!? Fish is such a great food! It is a wonderful source of lean protein and it is packed full of healthy omega-3 fats. I wish I ate more fish. Fish should definitely find its place in a healthy diet and lifestyle. This is why Peter and I are heating up our BBQ (and lacing up our running shoes) and making a conscious effort to eat more fish this summer. 

Recipe: 

1 lb Salmon Fillet, skin on (cut into 4 serving portions)

4 Tablespoons low sodium Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Honey

2 teaspooons minced Ginger

Sesame seeds for garnish

In a small saucepan, whisk to combine the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and ginger. Pour half of this sauce in a shallow dish or a plastic ziplock bag and leave the other half in the saucepan. (You can mix it in a bowl if you would like, but mixing it straight in the pan eliminates an extra step and an extra dish).

Place your fish in the dish or bag with half the marinade and allow to marinate for 20 minutes. 

*Helpful Hint: Don't marinate longer than this. A lot of people think that marinating longer means more flavor, but the acid in a marinade will break down the fish and make it mushy if you marinate it much longer than this. You want flavorful flakey fish, not mushy fish. 

Preheat your BBQ grill to high while the fish marinates. Then, on the stove top, reduce the other half of your marinade in the saucepan over medium heat until it thickens enough to brush on the fish like a glaze. 

Once your fish has marinated for 20 minutes, reduce the BBQ heat to medium-low, and place your salmon fillets right onto the BBQ grill grates, skin side down. No oil or spray necessary; the skin crisps up and releases easily from the grates. Close the BBQ lid and allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until your desired doneness: 
*Helpful Hints: 

• When picking out fish, you want it to be a bright coral/pink color with defined striations in the flesh. If it is dull or grey in color, it is most likely not fresh. Old, grey fish= pungent, not fresh-tasting fish
• Do not flip during cooking otherwise you will lose delicious flakes of fish into the fiery abyss of the grill
• The fish should turn from a translucent pink to an opaque off-white when done. It will also become more firm and flakey when finished :)

 When you have about 5 or 10 minutes left, throw some veggies on the grill while the fish finishes cooking. You can also brush on a little more glaze at this point.

Use a spatula to lift your fish off the grill and remove it to a platter where you can brush it with your glaze.

We enjoyed ours with some lentils and grilled zucchini

Don't forget to garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds too! Not only do they look fun and pretty, but they also hint at the asian flavors in the glaze.