Recipe: Blackened Tilapia Tacos

‘So good you’ll want to snort it.’

Or at least that’s the tagline I told my roommate Vic she should use when she bottles this shit and sells it and makes SO MUCH CASH MONEY that I will never have to pay rent ever.

Maybe don’t snort it though. Because there’s cayenne. And I think that would pretty much be game over for your nostrils. <----- very serious disclaimer pls don't sue me.

So this spice rub: it’s wildly amazing and completely transforms tilapia, which can sometimes be a bit... meh. It's a little spicy and a little sweet (you can definitely taste the brown sugar), and it forms this nice crust that keeps the fish incredibly moist. To the point where if you microwave the leftovers the next day, the tilapia is still perfectly flaky and not the least bit dry. Dry fish = no bueno. 

I recommend getting your taco fixings all sorted out before you start cooking the fish, because it cooks FAST. Like, 5-minutes-total, fast. Faster than ordering Seamless, fast.

As with any taco, feel free to go wild with whatever toppings you'd like, but I think the shredded cabbage is pretty vital. Sounds boring, I know, but you need that crunch. Oh also, make extra avocado crema because some will likely get eaten before it makes it to its final taco destination. Speaking from experience(s). 

Recipe: Blackened Tilapia Tacos

[original recipe from A Tbsp of Therapy]

Taco Fixings

Corn tortillas (for pliable tortillas, warm a stack in the microwave with a damp paper towel over the top; for crispy tortillas, bake them at 350 degrees for 5 minutes on each side; for charred tortillas, use tongs to hold one tortilla at a time over an open flame on the stove)

Avocado crema (in a food processor, blend 2 ripe avocados, salt to taste, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt; adjust seasoning as needed)

Fresh salsa (I like Trader Joe's fresh salsa)

Lime wedges 

Shredded green cabbage (I use the pre-shredded bag from Trader Joe's)

Blackened Taco Ingredients (note: these spice measurements will coat four 6 to 7 ounce filets. I highly recommend at least doubling the recipe so you have some to spare!)

1 tb paprika

1 tb brown sugar

2 tsp oregano 

1.5 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

.5 tsp cayenne (red pepper)

Four 6 to 7 ounce tilapia filets 

Cooking spray

Instructions

Pat the tilapia filets dry on both sides with paper towels. Spray one side of each of the filets with cooking spray, and liberally sprinkle on the blackening spice mix. Pat it into the fish with your hands. Flip the filets over, and repeat so that both sides are well coated with the spice mix. 

Heat 2 large skillets over medium-high heat. Spray pans with cooking spray, or coat with a little canola/vegetable oil. Place 2 filets in each pan. Cook for 3 minutes, then carefully flip. Cook for 2 minutes on the second side, until fish is cooked through and easily flakes apart. Transfer to a serving dish. (If you're only using 1 pan, cook in batches.)

To make a taco with the fixings listed above, start with 1 corn tortilla. Layer the green cabbage first, then about 1/2 of a tilapia filet, a spoonful of salsa, and a dollop of avocado crema. Top with a squeeze of lime. 

Recipe: Asian/Thai Glazed Salmon with Roasted Cauliflower

Sometimes it takes a dinner like this to remind me how easy it is not to order takeout. Which, in the restaurant-laden city of New York, can be all too convenient. Not to mention, expensive, unhealthy, etc, etc. (I have been known to pay $20+ for 5 tiny gluten free ravioli to be delivered to my doorstep. But only to abate an emergency craving or a wicked hangover. These are special occasions, people!)

From start to finish this entire meal will take about an hour, and that’s with only 10 or so minutes of hands-on time. So not only will you have saved twenty bucks on overpriced pockets of cheese, but you’ll enjoy 50 blissful minutes of knowing that your salmon and cauliflower are in the kitchen, doing their thang – while you get your tweet on, or Facebook stalk, or whatever it is that you do to occupy idle time.

Notes

-The recipe below allows for leftover marinade to use as a sauce. If you cook a larger piece of salmon (about 2 pounds), you can use the same marinade measurements but probably won’t have extra.

-Be careful not to overcook the salmon. It will continue to cook slightly after it’s removed from the oven. Remember, you can technically eat it raw, so don’t stress :)

-I always serve this alongside a big bowl of quinoa, simply seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper.

-If you have leftovers, mix together the flaked salmon, quinoa, cauliflower, and any remaining sauce for lunch the next day!

Ingredients (feeds 2-3)

Salmon:

¼ cup gluten free soy sauce

2-3 tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon honey

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

One 1-lb piece of salmon (1 to 2 inches thick)

Cooking spray

Scallions, sliced (optional)

Cauliflower:

1 head cauliflower, core removed and cut into large florets

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Salmon:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Whisk together soy sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil, honey and garlic to create marinade. Taste, and add a little more chili sauce, oil, or honey if necessary.

-Place fish in a large, zip-lock bag and pour in about half of the marinade. (Set aside the rest.) Seal the bag, pushing out as much air as you can. Move bag around so salmon is fully coated, and position bag so fish is skin side up. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

-Line a baking dish with foil (optional), and spray liberally with cooking spray. Remove salmon from bag and place skin-side down in the dish. Pour some of the marinade from the bag over the salmon so it’s well coated, but there’s not a huge pool at the bottom of the dish. Discard the bag and any marinade in the bag.

-Roast the fish for 20-25 minutes. To test for doneness, stick a fork or knife in the thickest part of the filet. It should flake apart easily, and be opaque.

-Allow salmon to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

-Serve warm, with reserved marinade on the side. Garnish with scallions.

Cauliflower:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Place cauliflower on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and use your hands to evenly coat the florets. Spread them out in one, even layer.

-Roast cauliflower for 45 minutes to 1 hour, flipping halfway through. Florets should be fork-tender and slightly charred on each side.

Recipe: Fish en Papillote (Fish Cooked in Parchment)

It blows my mind that it’s taken me this long to try this method of cooking fish. It always looks so elegant and dramatic on TV, especially when hot steam wafts out of the just-opened parcels of fish.

In reality, getting a tilapia facial is neither elegant nor dramatic, but the meal that follows absolutely is. Since the wine gently steams the fish, it stays incredibly moist and flakes effortlessly, while the vegetables maintain a sturdy crunch. Given the absence of dirty dishes and ease of cooking fish in parchment, there’s no doubt this will be my go-to cooking method.

Note: You’ll find that there are no measurements for this recipe. As opposed to measuring, it’s much easier to adjust up or down by portion size. For each person you’ll need 1 filet of fish and enough vegetables to create a small pile on top. There are also a handful of substitution ideas below – once you have the method down, feel free to use whichever veggies and aromatics you enjoy most!

Substitution Suggestions:

Vegetables – carrot, squash, string beans, onion, thin asparagus, leeks, celery

Citrus – orange, lemon, lime

Fresh Herbs – thyme, rosemary, mint, basil, cilantro, scallions

Ingredients

1 filet of tilapia per person (can substitute founder, sole, or other flaky white fish)

Carrot, peeled and julienned

Summer squash (green or yellow), julienned

String beans, ends trimmed

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Shallot, thinly sliced

Orange slices

Fresh thyme

White wine

Recipe

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine carrot, squash and string beans in a bowl and toss with enough olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Lay out 1 square (about 12 inches) of parchment paper per filet, and place one filet on the right half of each piece of paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter shallots over the fish, and then top with a few slices of orange. Create a pile of vegetables on top of each piece of fish. Lastly, place a few sprigs of thyme on top of the veggies. 

To close up the first parcel, begin by folding the left side of the paper over to the right, covering the fish. Starting at a corner, fold the edge of the paper over itself. Continue around the perimeter of the fish, being sure to tightly crimp the paper as you go. Right before the package is completely sealed, carefully pour in a few (2-3) glugs of wine. Finish crimping the paper and fold any final edge under the bottom. Repeat with all of the filets of fish.

Place all of the fish parcels on a baking sheet, and bake for about 13 minutes. When the fish is done cooking, you should be able to easily insert a knife or fork into the thickest part of the filet.

When fish is cooked through, open the parchment and serve immediately.

Recipe: Tortilla-Crusted Tilapia with Mango Salsa

It’s the epitome of a dreary Sunday night. I’m exhausted despite multiple naps and zero physical activity. I smell like NJ Transit. And I can’t think of a single thing to say about tilapia.

So let’s talk salsa. After all, the sole purpose of the fish here is to justify eating mounds of fresh salsa for dinner. (More on condiments later in the week!) This salsa recipe is about as chop-and-drop as it gets. Dice up a few ingredients, throw them in a bowl with some lime juice, and voila! Be weary, though, that the flavor here relies heavily on the mangos, so if they’re not lookin’ so hot that day I would venture to say you could swap in 2-3 ripe peaches. Agh and now I’m craving peach salsa. Add that to the list of grievances above.  

Now while this salsa is certainly good enough to enjoy on it’s own, I don’t want to completely discount the tilapia. The crispy tortilla crust pairs especially well with any Mexican flavors – mango salsa (duh), salsa verde, red chile sauce, and mole would all make great compliments.

Ingredients

Salsa:

2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced

Zest and juice of 1 lime

½ medium red onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 peeled cucumber, seeded and diced

Handful fresh cilantro, chopped

½ tsp cumin

Salt and pepper

Fish:

1 filet of Tilapia per person (can substitute cod or flounder)

2 eggs

1-2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Recipe

Make Salsa: In a bowl, combine mango, lime juice, lime zest, onion, garlic, cucumber, cilantro and cumin. Stir to combine, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook Fish: Lay out two shallow dishes. Crack both of the eggs into one dish and add a splash of water. Beat with a fork or whisk. Spread the crushed tortilla chips in the second dish. Heat a large pan over medium high heat with enough oil to cover the pan.

Pat fish completely dry and season with salt and pepper. Dip both sides in the egg then transfer to the dish with the tortilla crumbs. Pat down on both sides to ensure the filet is covered. Place fish in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. (You’ll know it’s done when a fork or knife slides easily into the filet and the fish flakes apart.) Add as many filets as you can fit in the pan without overlapping, and repeat process until all of the fish is cooked.

Assemble: Top fish with mango salsa. Serve with extra lime wedges.