Its hard trying to figure out what to buy nowadays when it comes to meats. Is it filled with hormones? Is it really free range? Will I contribute to the demise of the species if I eat it — or the demise of another species through bycatch? Was the beef grazed on already-overgrazed federal lands in the dry dry southwest? What’s the carbon footprint? I know going vegetarian would put an end to these questions, but this girl needs to eat her meat. I don’t eat a ton of it, but when I do, I try to minimize my guilt. Enter tilapia. According to the seafood watch guide, tilapia is one that will keep my karma intact.
The sauce makes this recipe. I usually serve the fish with rice and make a double batch of sauce to pour on the rice. Believe me, you’ll want it.
- 1/4 cup butter, softened (if this feels too gluttonous, I sometimes do half butter, half olive oil)
- 1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
- zest of one lime (about 1 tsp.)
- juice of one lime (about 2 tsp.)
- 1 tsp. minced fresh serrano or jalepeno chile, including seeds
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4, 5-6 ounce pieces of skinless tilapia fillet
- flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1. Mix the ingredients for the chile-lime butter.
- 2. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 3. Mix the flour and salt in a shallow bowl. Dredge fillets in flour mixture and place in the pan. Cook until golden, about 4-5 minutes.
- 4. Serve each piece of fish with a dollop of chili-lime butter. I tend to serve the fish over rice, which I drizzle any extra sauce on.
