Pan-Fried Tilapia Remix

Pan-fried tilapia is simply delicious, and if you need further justification of that statement, you can read about it in more detail in a one of my previous posts, singing its praises.  I usually don’t blog about the same dish twice, unless I find a way to improve it.  My recipe for tilapia recently received an upgrade, not by varying ingredients, but by varying the cooking vessel.  I recently purchased my very first cast iron pan, and my only regret is that I waited so long to do so.  This is not only an upgrade for tilapia, but also an improvement for my kitchen in general.  This is particularly good news for anything sautéed/pan-fried, as those foods always tastes best when they achieve a golden, brown hue.  Deeper color results in deeper flavor, and a crispier texture.  Cast iron pans help to maximize this “golden (brown) rule,” and my most recent batch of pan-fried tilapia exemplified this.  My new favorite pan yielded crispy, golden fish fillets that were perfectly moist on the inside.  Cast iron gets hotter than non-stick pans, which allowed for the beautiful color to develop quickly, without overcooking the fish.

I also made a dill-mustard cole slaw to go alongside my fish.  Cole slaw is a common side dish for fried fish for a reason: it is a perfect complement.  It’s like serving your fish with a refreshing, crunchy tartar sauce.  Creamy, crunchy, tart, and briny: pan-fried tilapia couldn’t ask for anything more.  The dressing was both creamy and vinegary, with a nice bite from spicy mustard, and bright from the addition of fresh dill.  Following the general trend of cole slaw, this one gets better as it sits, so I recommend making it at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving.  It will continue to get better over the next day or so, as well.

Pan-Fried Tilapia: click here

Mustard-Dill Cole Slaw (loosely based on the Food Network’s recipe)

•                1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer olive-oil based)

•                2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

•                1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard, spicy brown mustard, or German mustard

•                3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (plus extra for garnish)

•                Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

•                1/2 head light-green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

•                1 small carrot, shredded

•                1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

-       Wisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, with about 20 grinds of fresh pepper and about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt.

-       In a large bowl add the cabbage, carrot, and scallions.  Add about ¾ of the dressing and the dill.  Add more dressing if needed.  Garnish with dill when serving. 

Pan-Fried Tilapia

I’ll be honest:  I overcooked my fish.  I am advertising my own error because it didn’t matter.  My pan-fried tilapia was light, flakey, with a crisp coating, despite spending a little too much time in the frying pan.  It is a foolproof recipe, and this is coming from a fool who messed it up.

My mom tends to work really late, but one night last week she got home early enough to make this simple dinner, and I decided to do the same.  I am now making a point to use and enjoy my time outside of work, which makes me happier both at work and at home.  The key to enjoying your evenings is to actually do something you enjoy.  Who knew?  Thus, pan-fried tilapia made its way on to my after-work to do list. 

Tilapia has many attractive features that make it perfect for a quick, yet luxurious weeknight meal.  It cooks quickly; it’s versatile with its mild flavor and flaky texture; it’s inexpensive (I spend about four dollars on the fish and still had leftovers).

The process is not unfamiliar: dip the fish into egg wash, give it a dusting of flour and/or breadcrumbs, and cook it in a thin, even layer of hot oil.  My mom was adamant about purchasing “Drake’s Crispy Fry” to dredge the fish in (it was always in our pantry growing up).  I made a special trip to King Sooper’s for it in 15-degree weather, and they didn’t have it.  In my dismay, exhaustion, and defeat, I bought a package of seasoned flour, although I was sure I would regret it (Kentucky Kernel Seasoned Flour, to be exact). 

Why would I buy seasoned flour instead of simply seasoning my own flour?  I was prepared to kick myself later, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.  It turns out that there is a reason to buy seasoned flour: it is perfectly seasoned!  I tasted a little pinch of the flour before cooking, so I could get my self-loathing under way, but instead I was celebrating my awesome decision making skills. It was delicious (courtesy of pepper, mysterious “herbs and spices,” salt, and a small amount of MSG, which everyone knows is the best).

So, with a sense of celebration, I dredged, I fried, I spritzed with lemon and I enjoyed.  The fish had a crisp, yet light crust.  I served the fish (to myself) with simple pan roasted brussel sprouts, and a baked potato.  I felt so wholesome with all of my food groups.  Make sure you run your kitchen fan and vent a window while you fry the fish.  That way, when you tell your co-workers the next day about your delicious dinner, they will actually be surprised, instead of already being fully aware of what you had for dinner because of the fish odor emanating off you.  I had this happen with curry once, and it was not much fun.

Pan-Fried Tilapia

Tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry (I made 3 fillets, almost 3/4 of a pound)

½ to 1 cup of seasoned flour (depending on how much fish you are making)

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2-3 tablespoons olive oil (more as needed if you are working in multiple batches)

2-3 tablespoons canola oil (more as needed if you are working in multiple batches)

-       Beat together eggs and milk in a wide shallow bowl, and add the seasoned breadcrumbs to another wide shallow bowl.

-       Working with one tilapia fillet at a time, dip it first in egg wash, then into the seasoned flow.  Coat it evenly with flow and shake of excess.  Set aside and repeat with remaining fillets.

-       Using a large heavy bottomed skillet, preheat both oils over medium-high to high heat for 2-3 minutes.  You can test the heat of the oil by dropping a pinch of flour into the oil.  It should sizzle immediately.

-       Place the fish fillets in the hot oil (do not crowd them).  Cook for 4-5 minutes per side on medium-high to high heat (depending on how hot your stove cooks; you want the fish to brown).

pre-flip

post-flip

-       Drain cooked fish on paper towel.  Spritz with lemon and enjoy.

Fish Tacos

This post is long over-due, but the timing is perfect for this steamy weather.  I cannot take complete credit for this mini-series of recipes that resulted in some very tasty fish tacos, as a co-chef assisted me in their creation.  I can, however, take complete credit for my awkward, cheeky prose.  This was quite the journey for a couple of co-chefs.  And while we both worked hard to soften our culinary opinions in order to collaborate, the composition of the final product was quite simple.  In other words, the food was both good and easy. 

Deciding to make fish tacos was easy; deciding what to put on them was not.  There are so many viable options, and combinations (go to foodgawker and search “fish tacos;” the search results will make your head spin).  I will not go into the details of how we made our decision, but do know that this matter was not taken lightly.  We settled on the following combination: soft corn tortillas with sautéed white fish fillets, topped with guacamole, red cabbage slaw, and jack cheese.  The result was a fresh, light, and satisfying meal, which only required 10-15 minutes of heat from a single burner on the stove.  At the time it was thunder storming and 70 degrees, but it is currently 95 degrees outside, and the minimal heat requirements are becoming an increasingly important selling point.

First, my co-chef made guacamole.  It was a standard, but well executed guac, with the primary focus on the perfectly ripe avocados.  I think the key to this recipe is allowing the onions to sit in a bit of lime juice, which mitigated their raw, acrid flavor.  I tried to stay out of his way during its construction because, not surprisingly, I can be a little bossy in the kitchen.  However, I have gleaned the following information:

Guacamole

1 Roma tomato, diced

2 tablespoons minced red onion

Juice from ½ lime

2 ripe avocados, seed removed and flesh scooped out into a large bowl

1 teaspoon of mayonnaise

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

-       Squeeze the lime juice over the minced onion while preparing your remaining ingredients.

-       Add all ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix together.  Taste for seasoning.

-       Cover the guacamole with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent browning, and chill until you are ready to serve.

Next, I made the red cabbage slaw.  I have never worked with a whole head of cabbage before, and it was surprisingly easy.  First I removed a few of the outer leaves.  Then, while my co-chef watched nervously, I used a big knife to cut it in half, then quarters.  I removed the core by cutting into the cabbage on an angle, and then (carefully) made thin slices with a knife.  This was not a complex process, and so much more delicious than the pre-shredded bags (although those are not terrible if you’re in a time crunch).  The cabbage and some shredded carrots were dressed in a simple lime-based vinaigrette, formulated from the following recipe: http://une-deuxsenses.blogspot.com/2011/02/crispy-black-bean-tacos-with-feta.html.  Over all, this slaw was a little smoky and a little spicy, and had a refreshing and satisfying crunch.  As a testament to how good it was, I ate the leftovers the next day directly out of the bowl they had been stored in, and then proceeded to make another batch with the lingering cabbage.

Red Cabbage Slaw

½ red cabbage, sliced

1 carrot, grated

2 scallions, finely chopped

¼ jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, and minced (this can be replaced with a good squirt of sriracha in the dressing)

2 tbs. lime juice

2 tbs. olive oil

1 heaping tsp. mayonnaise

¼-½ teaspoon cumin (I used the latter amount the second time I made it, and it was great)

½ teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper, to taste (about ¼ teaspoon each)

-       In a bowl, combine lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, honey, and mayonnaise.  Whisk together until thoroughly combined.

-       Slowly whisk in olive oil.  Taste dressing and adjust seasonings.

-       In a large bowl, toss the dressing with remaining ingredients.

I then prepared a plate of condiments (shredded jack cheese, cilantro leaves, and adorable little lime wedges), and my co-chef cooked the fish.  For this, I have to adorn him with enormous culinary praise. It was perfectly cooked, and perfectly seasoned. We used basa, which is a firm white fish, similar to tilapia.  I cannot go into too much detail because he deliberately shielded me from the kitchen during his cooking process (a difficult task in a studio apartment).  This was not out of secrecy, but because I am a terrible “backseat cook.”  He claims to have done the following (but he is a lawyer, and probably can’t be trusted):

Sautéed Basa Fillets

-       Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat with a thin, even coating of olive oil.

-       Season 1 lb. of basa fillets with a spritz of lime juice and a light sprinkling of cayenne, Lawry’s seasoned salt, chili powder, cumin, and salt/pepper. (Skip the cayenne if you’re not into spicy; go very light with it even if you are into spicy.)

-       Sprinkle lightly with a couple of teaspoons of flour. (Mr. Co-Chef says he wouldn’t do this again, but I liked it.)

-       Cut the fillets in half and sauté until the fish is opaque and firm (a couple of minutes on each side).

-       Assemble tacos and enjoy!

We used small white corn tortillas, heated briefly in the microwave.  If the word “microwave” makes you cringe, you could use the oven or the stove.  This meal was so delicious: crunchy, creamy, spicy, tart, and fresh.  You will find ample visual evidence that supports these claims.  You are even allowed the pleasure of seeing my overly-freckled face take a perfect bite of “mini-taco” (i.e. a bite of all the ingredients besides a tortilla for those who are too full to eat another taco, but can’t stop eating).