Cornflake Tilapia

[njean]

I am NOT much of a fish eater primarily because I can't stand when fish has a fishy taste!! But, my brother got me started on eating "tilapia", a mild-flavored white fish that does not have a fishy taste at all!!

I dug this recipe up from my archives; it is one that Rachel Ray cooked up in one of her shows. I cut the recipe in half because I was eating alone. I also did not make the sauce because I didn't have watermelon but I'm fixing it again tonight because I bought all the ingredients yesterday!

Sauce:

Cup small seedless watermelon, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped (I don't take the seeds out because I like it extra HOT-- don't touch your eyes or mouth after chopping!!)

Ground Black Pepper

Salt (optional -- I omitted the salt)

Juice of 1 lime

In a bowl, combine watermelon, green bell pepper, onion, jalapeno & lime juce. Season with pepper. Stir to combine & reserve.

4 Tilapia fillets (I used 2 fillets. If you buy them frozen, they come one to a package --- just place the fish in the packet in some lukewarm water to thaw)

2 cups corn flake crumbs (I used one cup & I put all my dry ingredients in a baggie & then pounded the heck out of it to get the corn flakes finely ground)

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 TBSP ground coriander (these are cilantro seeds --- I measured & put them in a small bowl & then crushed them with the end of the ingredient glass bottle --- I don't have a metate for grinding)

1/2 TBSP paprika about half a palmful

2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil (I used 1 TBSP)

In the baggie that you've put your cornflakes after breaking up really fine, add all the dry ingredients & mix well. Take your thawed tilapia fillets & place inside the baggie & coat them thoroughly in the seasoned cornflake mix.

Preheat a large non-stick skillet w/the EVOO over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to ripple, add the tilapia & cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. I made sure to pour all the little crumbs left in the baggie over the fish when it was frying. The fish will easily fall apart w/a fork when fully cooked.

Make some minute rice according to directions & place your tilapia over the bed of rice. Top w/watermelon sauce & enjoy!!! Delish!!!

Note: When I make it tonight, I am going to add some fresh cilantro to the sauce too since I have some growing in my back porch!!

 

[escargome]

Sounds yummy. May give it a try with my hubby this weekend.
Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Ross]

I like blackened tilapia too. I'll dig up the recipe.

Courtesy of my dear friend Paula Dean:

1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets
4 Kaiser buns, split, buttered and toasted
Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, recipe follows
Store-bought mango salsa


In a shallow dish, combine first 6 ingredients.
Pour melted butter into another shallow dish. Dip fish fillets in melted butter and coat with seasoning mixture.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over toasted buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with mango salsa, and cover with top half of bun.



Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.

 

[The English Patient]

Hi Norma,

Cornflake Tilapia! Goodness me I can imagine the wisecracks in our house if I suggested such a thing! Can I have the 'Cheerio Snapper' or the 'Coco Pop Trout' please

I bet its one of those meals that is delicious...have a lovely weekend.

 

[Ross]

Actually corn flake crumbs are better then regular bread crumbs or even Panko. You have to try it to appreciate it.

 

[Bina]

I have a friend who is a gourmet cook, and she makes me laugh when she uses the smashed corn flakes for breading fish.
It just sounds so crazy!

 

[Bina]

4 Tilapia fillets (I used 2 fillets. If you buy them frozen, they come one to a package --- just place the fish in the packet in some lukewarm water to thaw)

Norma, to safely defrost frozen fish, place it in COLD water which is changed often.
I wouldn't want to see my friend get sick.

 

[Ross]

I have a friend who is a gourmet cook, and she makes me laugh when she uses the smashed corn flakes for breading fish.
It just sounds so crazy!

You can actually buy cornflake crumbs now right along side stuffings and other crumbs. I have a box!

 

[Bina]

Groovy, all the boxes of smashed corn flakes have another use now! LOL
Since we don't fry fish, I could always sprinkle them on the baked fish which is lightly brushed with butter.
Tonight we are having steamed salmon with oriental veggies and rice. My fave.

 

[Ross]

http://www2.kelloggs.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=39

 

[njean]

Norma, to safely defrost frozen fish, place it in COLD water which is changed often.
I wouldn't want to see my friend get sick.

Thanks for the advice friend; makes sense! I was just passing on what the defrosting instructions say on the package but your idea sounds better & safer! (wouldn't want to be found "belly up" like the fish! )

 

[njean]

Hi Norma,

Cornflake Tilapia! Goodness me I can imagine the wisecracks in our house if I suggested such a thing! Can I have the 'Cheerio Snapper' or the 'Coco Pop Trout' please

I bet its one of those meals that is delicious...have a lovely weekend.

Yeah, that's too funny! I have been using cornflake crumbs when frying or baking chicken too, & it's really good! Give it a try!

 

[njean]

I should add that the other evening I fixed the tilapia again & made some of the watemelon sauce & I didn't really care for it! I had the most gawd awful stomach cramps & the runs later that night!! I blamed it on the jalapeno I used.

So, I could have done WITHOUT the sauce altogether & just used more lime & lemon juice!!! yum!

 

[kschroed]

This sounds so good. I have always liked fish, but I just discovered tilpia. I love it. The cornflakes idea really makes sense when you think about it.

Kay