Want to know a secret? I'm actually not a big seafood fan. It sort of belies my enjoyment of sushi making, but I don't actually eat the sushi in question. Making sushi is therapeutic, after all.
But one of our goals is to add more dishes into our family repertoire and when Regal Springs contacted me and asked me if we'd like to try their fresh tilapia, I decided it was a great time to give it a go.
Why tilapia? Because it's a nice, mild-flavored, not too fishy-tasting fish. As silly as it sounds, I knew I could probably work with it like I would chicken and end up with a meal we'd all enjoy. Since I don't eat a lot of fish, I don't cook a lot of fish, so my ideas from other dishes had to transfer.
But with a bit of help, and a bit of experimentation, we've come up with our own top 5 ways to enjoy tilapia.
- Pretzel-Crusted Tilapia - This might be my favorite way! Rather than normal breading, we dip the tilapia in egg, then roll it in crushed pretzels. I fry it in an electric skillet in just a teeny bit of oil, then serve it with a honey mustard or ranch dip.
- Beer-Battered Tilapia - This was one of the recipes Regal Springs sent and it's definitely a winner! A leftover can of beer worked perfectly to make it.
- Creamy Parmesan Tilapia - I usually make chicken this way, but it is great on tilapia too. Mix together about a 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese with a 1 cup of mayonnaise. Spray a baking dish, lay down the tilapia filets and spread the sauce over top. Bake at 350 for about a half hour until the fish is cooked.
- Breaded Tilapia Nuggets/Fingers - Ben loves these as an alternative to chicken nuggets. We cut the tilapia into smaller pieces, then bread it in Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, then serve with a variety of dipping sauces. My vote is always bleu cheese, but the kids prefer ranch or barbecue sauce.
- Blackened Tilapia - This recipe from Regal Springs is for tacos, but it's also great as a regular entree. That said, taco night is always a favorite around here and we try to have a variety of options. The husband is a big fan of fish tacos.
What are your favorite ways to eat tilapia? I'd love links and ideas, we're always up for something new to try.
Disclosure: Regal Springs sent me fresh tilapia to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.
I was gearing up to make Parmesan tilapia just last week when I got sidetracked and ended up making Spinach-Artichoke tilapia instead. It turned out really good! http://www.scrapsoflife.com/spinach-artichoke-tilapia-and-the-rest-of-last-weeks-menu/
ReplyDeleteThat does sound good! I love when things like that just happen. :)
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