Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

That is what our Monday evening looked like, and let me just say that it was even more beautiful in person, not to mention delicious. Please, don't try to nibble on your computer screen, it won't taste as good. it had sadly been awhile since Josh and I sat down together at our own table and ate dinner together. We rarely eat dinner together as it is during the week, since he works late most days. And then we are frequently distracted by the talking boxes and laptop computers. But Monday night I made us the lovely meal above and we sat down and enjoyed it, just the two of us. Well, and David Bowie spinning round on the turntable. I'll fill you in on the guacamole later, this post is about the main course. I bought some frozen tilapia fillets at Target a couple weeks ago and really wanted to use them. These turned out to be great. They thawed easily, were easy to handle, and easy to cook. Definitely going to get these again, I can't imagine how invaluable they could be for last minute meals. Especially this meal which consisted of so few ingredients, it's almost diabolically simple. And let's remember, that's me saying it. The girl who has trouble with almost everything in the kitchen, ha.

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4












1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons paprika
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 (6-8 oz. each) skinless tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons olive oil

• In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal and paprika; season generously with salt and pepper. Separate fillets into thick and thin sides. Dredge each piece in cornmeal mixture, patting it on to coat completely.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook as many pieces as will fit (without crowding) until golden brown and firm, about 2 minutes per side for thin pieces and 4 minutes per side for thick ones. Transfer to a plate; sprinkle with salt, if desired, and cover loosely to keep warm. Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Repeat with remaining oil and fish.

My notes: I halved the recipe so I could only prepare enough fish for the two of us, and I still had a little bit of cornmeal mixture leftover. Really, I think it's pretty clear just how easy this recipe is. And it's equally delicious, so give it a shot! I'll be back with a post about the guacamole-love-of-my-life.