The mild, lightly sweet flavor of tilapia makes this fish a perfect choice for family meals. It’s just 90 calories per 4-ounce serving, low in fat and a great source of protein. And, it’s super affordable! Below are three delicious and sustainable tilapia recipes we think you're going to love for Lent or beyond - Braised Tomato, Leek and Lake Tilapia Soup, Spicy Tilapia Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Shallots and Jalapenos and Tilapia with Creamy Polenta.
Braised Tomato, Leek and Lake Raised Tilapia Soup
Recipes courtesy of Regal Springs Tilapia
Serves 8
Ingredients:
8 lake raised tilapia portions
Fresh basil for Garnish
2.5 lbs Roma tomatoes stems removed
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Leeks washed and cut into 2 inch pieces
8 Garlic Cloves roasted in skin
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
5 Cups seafood stock
Instructions:
Roasting the Garlic:
In a small oven safe dish place garlic in aluminum foil purse and drizzle with EVOO salt and pepper. Cook in 375-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
To make the tomato and leeks:
Ina oven safe large Sautee pan coated with olive oil add the tomatoes and leeks with S&P over medium/hi heat. Allow leeks to gain a little color and tomato to soften. Next add the white wine and allow to reduce by 50% then add the oregano. Add one cup of the stock and place in 375-degree oven for 45 minutes.
To make the soup:
In a medium stock pot add the remaining 4 cups of stock S&P and bring to a simmer. Add the contents of the Sautee pan to the stock. With and immersion blender pulse until desired consistency is reached. I like to leave it a little chunky. At this point you may cook the fish and serve the soup, or store this for service in the refrigerator. The soup tends to taste even better if it sits overnight.
To serve:
You will need to cook the tilapia portions. I like to roast them in the oven with S&P and olive oil for about 15 minutes at 400. In a wide bowl place one tilapia portion on the bottom of bowl. Ladle warm soup over the tilapia and garnish with fresh basil.
Spicy Lake Raised Tilapia Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Shallots and Jalapenos
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 lake raised tilapia loins
2 cups kale chopped
1 Package Butter lettuce washed and separated
1 onion diced
4 Shallots thinly sliced
1 cup chicken stock
2 Jalapenos peeled and thinly sliced
sea salt and fresh pepper
1/2 Champaign vinegar
2 tablespoons raw sugar
6 table spoons olive oil
Instructions:
Pickled Shallots:
In a small sauce pan combine the vinegar, 2 table spoons EVOO, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and add the shallots and jalapenos. Keep on heat for 2 minutes, then cover and remove from heat for at least 30 minutes.
To make the Kale:
In a medium sauce pan. Cook the onions with 2 table spoons EVOO and salt and pepper over a medium heat until they start to brown. Add the chopped kale and allow it to cook down into the pan (approx. 2 minutes) then add the stock and cook until most of the liquid has cooked away.
To cook the fish:
Brush lake raised tilapia fillets with EVOO, salt and pepper on each side. In a 375-degree oven roast the fish on an oiled sheet pan for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cut each loin into 4 pieces.
To serve:
Place 4 butter lettuce leaves on each plate. Place a small amount of the kale on the lettuce, then add a piece of tilapia topped with the pickled shallot and jalapeno. Wrap to resemble a taco and serve while still hot.
Lake Raised Tilapia with Creamy Polenta
(shown at top)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 Lake Raised Tilapia Loins
1 Package of grits (Stone Ground Yellow) or Polenta
2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Fresh Thyme
1/2 tsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
chicken stock to replace water on package instructions
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Sauce:
8 oz Butter
2 tsp Fresh Thyme
1 cup Diced Onion
1 cup Diced Green Bell Pepper
1.5 cup White Wine
1 cup Diced Tomato
3 tsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Chopped Parsley
Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper
Instructions:
Polenta:
Cook polenta according to package directions, replacing the water with chicken stock. Then add remaining ingredients.
Sauce:
Cook onions, and bell pepper in a large sauté pan with 2oz butter. Once vegetables are caramel colored add wine and increase the heat. Allow the wine to reduce by 50%. Add remaining ingredients and stir.
The fish:
Season with pepper, kosher salt, Cayenne, Paprika and Cumin. In a hot pan with 2 table spoons oil on med high heat. Cook the loins for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until you reach desired doneness.
To serve:
Spoon creamy polenta onto the center of the plate. Then lay one loin across the top. Spoon a generous amount of sauce on the fish allowing to spill onto the polenta.
Regal Springs tilapia, the largest sustainable tilapia provider in the world who helped bring tilapia to the U.S. and has produced healthy, all-natural tilapia for almost 30 years.
Editorial disclosure: no payment or product was received for this post.
