4 servings
This brightly flavored tilapia was first prepared for us by chef Valentin Corral at the remote Tortuguero Lodge in Costa Rica, and he was kind enough to share his recipe. Serve it with Baby Greens with Sliced Peaches and Pecans and with Whipped Sweet Potatoes.
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 - 1 1/2 lb. tilapia fillets
- 1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
- 3 whole cloves garlic
- 1 lime
(If you are making the sweet potatoes and salad, start them first.) In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium- high heat. Place the tilapia fillets in the pan and press them down with a spatula to ensure each fillet is completely touching the pan. Cook the fillets on each side until they are lightly browned, 3 - 4 minutes per side. After flipping the fish, season it with salt and pepper.
While the fish is cooking, make the sauce one of two ways: Either, puree the cilantro, garlic, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and the juice of half the lime. Or, by hand, finely chop the cilantro and garlic, put them in a small serving bowl, and stir in 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the juice of half a lime. Season it with salt and pepper to taste.
When the fish is done cooking, put it on a serving plate and top it with the sauce (or serve the sauce on the side.) Cut the remaining half lime into 4 wedges for serving.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add some of the zest of one lime to the cilantro-lime mixture.
Side Dish suggestion: Serve it with a salad of baby greens tossed with 1 sliced peach, 4 tsp. coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted, if desired, and 2 - 4 Tbsp. vinaigrette dressing.
Side Dish suggestion: To make Whipped Sweet Potatoes, peel and chop 2 1/2 lbs. of sweet potatoes (about 5 large potatoes) into 1-inch pieces. Cover the potatoes with water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Simmer the potatoes until they are fork tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain them thoroughly, and use a mixer to whip them, adding 1 - 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, 1 - 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup or brown sugar, and 1/2 cup nonfat milk, until they are smooth. (Optional step: Transfer the whipped potatoes to a small casserole and bake them at 400 degrees until the tops of the potatoes start to brown, about 10 - 15 minutes.)
Nutritional Information per serving (% based upon daily values):
Calories 200, Total Fat 8g, 12%, Saturated Fat 1.5g, 8%, Cholesterol 80mg, 27%, Sodium 135mg, 6%, Total Carbohydrate 2g, 1% Dietary Fiber 1g, 4% Sugar 0g, Protein 29g
Nutritional Information per serving (with 1 1/2 cups salad and 3/4 cup sweet potatoes) (% based upon daily values):
Calories 424, Total Fat 14g, 20%, Saturated Fat 1.5g, 11%, Cholesterol 80mg, 27%, Sodium 205mg, 9%, Total Carbohydrate 44g, 15% Dietary Fiber 9g, 36% Sugar 13g, Protein 33g
Recipe from The Six O' Clock Scramble, www.thescramble.com, copyright 2008.
Our thanks to Costa Rica traveler, Aviva Goldfarb!