# Tilapia



## twylyn (Jun 13, 2001)

Does anyone have any good recipes for tilapia? I just had this fish for the first time a few wks ago at a restaurant & loved it--had never heard of it before that.

...and any good ideas for sides to accompany it?

thanks


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

My local grocery store seems to carry that fish pretty regularly now. I enjoy it also, since it's so mild. I just saute it in butter, nothing fancy for a quick dinner. Although my husband has cooked it a couple times on the grill with nice results. He places it on foil and tops it with thin slices of onion and tomato, with a splash of lemon juice and butter chuncks ontop. (Although I don't eat the onions with the fish) it imparts a nice flavor to the fish. I like it with a simple tartar sauce or a beur blanc sauce.

As far as side dishes, well there isn't anything I don't like so there's tons of answers. I like a some sauteed zuccini, peppers and onions with my husband version....


Oh, this fish does break-up easily when you cook it so don't over handle it.


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

For those looking for a nice alternative to high priced fin fish ,Tilapia won't disapoint. I serve it in my employee cafe alot.The staff loves it.
A little background on tilapia.
It's in the cichlidae family,it's a fresh water fish native of africa.

A great thing about Tilapia is it's adaptability,It can be raised in salt water.It's raised in tropical and temperate climates around the world,So you don't need to feel we are depleating the world supply.They grow fast and spawn often.

the flavor should be sweet and mild,ant grayish in the flesh means it's over the hill.Pink to off white is what you should be looking for in the flesh.Cook Tilapia on high heat,it has very little fat or oils so it needs a fast technique.

I find sauteeing or broiling works best,poaching and grilling I find less succesful
cc


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## hubuk (Oct 8, 2001)

I think this may be one of the types of fish that would cook really well baked in sea salt.

I will never forget my first experience of Red Tilapia. A friend had told me I must get some and barbecue it as the taste was out of this world.

Well, it didn't smell that wonderful while I was cooking it. In fact it made me think someone had just vomited.

However, trusting my friends advice (he wasn't there by the way) I served up the fish - it tasted like someone had vomited! It was off but never having come across it before and having got it ftom a reputable source it never occurred to me that it would be off!

It was a long time before I tried it again!


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## risa (May 11, 2001)

One of my parents' favourite fish is tilapia. They're very happy that it's very easy to find and inexpensive now. I used to avoid eating it because it always tasted a bit like dirt to me. This was before tilapia farming became really big in the US and the tilapia was imported from somewhere in Asia. The dirt taste isn't really strong for some people but I really noticed it. My dad said it had something to do with the feed and the way the fish have been raised. On a recent visit home, my mom served tilapia and it was already in fillets so I didn't know what kind of fish. It was delicious: very sweet and mild. I have since had it steamed the Chinese way with rice wine, soy sauce, scallions and ginger. It's a great substitute for the ling cod and rock cod that I'm used to. I'm a newly converted tilapia eater. BTW, it's one of those fish that's good to eat because it's not endangered and the farming methods for tilapia aren't overly destructive to the environment.


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## twylyn (Jun 13, 2001)

Thanks for all the ideas 

When I had it in the restaurant it was grilled w/a ginger-citrus teriyaki sauce & served w/pineapple mango salsa :lips:

I really like mild fish, so this was a pleasant surprise...I think it will compete now w/my other two favorites, mahi-mahi and halibut!


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Tilapia USED to be the fish which ate what the catfish left behind. Nowadays it's actually quite good when raised on the farm. As for recipes, I suppose there's no real limit to what you could do with it. Saute, bake, poach, fry, steam... and with either of these methods an almost endless list of sauces and garnishes. I don't think there's a standard "classical" preparation of tilapia  but you could always try your hand at tilapia a la manure if you want 

Kuan


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## twylyn (Jun 13, 2001)

I definitely think I'll pass on that idea!


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## iroqois (Sep 28, 2010)

I absolutely love this recipe. I have used it for years and it has been shared many times over. Please give it a try

6 Tilapia fillets

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup coarsely chopped green olives

1/4 tsp. dried hot red pepper flakes 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1 T. fresh lime juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly oil a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the fillets in one layer.

In a bowl stir together the oil, the thyme, the tomatoes, the olives, the red pepper flakes, the garlic, the onion, and the lime juice.

In the prepared baking dish arrange the fillets, skin sides down, season them with salt, and spoon the tomato mixture over them.

Bake the fish, uncovered, in the middle of the oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until it just flakes.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Tilapia is often called the perfect fish for Americans, because, as a group, we tend away from strong tasting fish. And that's the last thing tilapia is.

It's so mild, in fact, that it can be used in virtually any recipes where, as with tofu, it takes on the character of the dish, rather than adding any of its own.

What I love most about it is that I use it to start introducing fish to people who claim they don't like fish. Once they've been eating tilapia for awhile they're ready to move on to other fish. A win-win way to go.


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2010)

I loooove tilapia. It's about the only fish that the whole family will eat. I love frying it in the oven with a crust made of cornbread and pecans. It's great to marinade, too, and works with a great variety of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors. /img/vbsmilies/smilies//smile.gif


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

KYHeirloomer said:


> Tilapia is often called the perfect fish for Americans, because, as a group, we tend away from strong tasting fish. And that's the last thing tilapia is.
> 
> It's so mild, in fact, that it can be used in virtually any recipes where, as with tofu, it takes on the character of the dish, rather than adding any of its own.
> 
> What I love most about it is that I use it to start introducing fish to people who claim they don't like fish. Once they've been eating tilapia for awhile they're ready to move on to other fish. A win-win way to go.


On tilapia, I agree. On tofu, I don't --- really good tofu has its own exquisite taste, which it loses quickly when exposed to strong cooking or seasonings. But I digress.

I still think the best thing to do with almost any fish is to sear-roast it, if that's a workable term. Scrape the skin of the fish with the back of a knife, again and again, and wipe off the liquid every time. Keep doing it until basically no liquid rises. Heat a pan very, very hot, and have your oven at 500. When the pan is blazing, season the fish with a pinch of salt and a little pepper, put a generous dab of good olive oil in the pan, and then press the fish, skin side down, onto the oil. Hold it down gently with your fingers for 5-10 seconds, until it stops wanting to curl. Cook 2 minutes, until brown and crisp on the skin. Flip the fish over and immediately move the pan to the oven. Cook 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. To test it, stick a sharp metal skewer in the thickest part, wait 3 full seconds (count!), and press the tip of the skewer sideways to the flesh just under your lower lip. If it's warm, the fish is done. Cold, it's not. Really hot, it's overdone. Serve the fish, crispy skin up, with a wedge of lemon.

This method is so simple and pure that you really taste the fish directly. Some tilapia tastes like dirt, some doesn't, and you'll immediately know which your supplier provides. As you roll this perfect, plain fish on your tongue, you can think about what might go with it. I generally think fish in American restaurants tends to be grossly over-seasoned, because (as KYH says), we don't like fish with its own flavor, so it's important to think about which flavors, strong or mild, go best with a given fish.


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

Make some very classic "goujons" with a cold sauce tartare (or remoulade or gribiche). It's all french blabla, but actually quite easy to make and delicious. I made some with tilapia a while ago. You really need to add a flavour to tilapia, as it tastes as... nothing.

*Goujons*; Cut some tilapia filets in thin stripes. Dip strips into a bit of milk and immediately into some flour. I use a plastic bag with a tablespoon of flour in it, add the goujons and shake. Take them out of the bag and shake the excess of flour off. Drag them through a beaten egg and immediately through flavoured breadcrumbs (I use panko flavoured with P&S, the tiniest bit of cayennepepper and the finely chopped leaves (no stalks) of some chervil (don't know if I wrote this word correctly). Roll the goujons carefully in the breadcrumbs. Fry nicely goldenbrown in sunflower oil. You can deepfry if you like.

*Sauce tartare*; mayo + bit of lemonjuice + finely chopped gurkin + finely chopped onion + chopped capres, parcely and chives. Sometimes also a finely crushed hardboiled egg (sauce Gribiche). It's not a big thing to restrict to the things you really like or have at hand. Gurkins though are a must.


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Tilapia has a funky sweet taste that I don't care for. I guess I am spoiled from eating walleye and northern pike!


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## jowocook (Sep 24, 2009)

You might want to try this easy recipe, Bake Tilapia,

parchment paper, 2 filet of tilapia, lemon & pepper seasoning, thinly slice red peppers & onions and butter, wrap tightly, bake it for 10-12 minute.

We usually serve it with dirty rice or wild rice.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

This fish was originally called St. Peter Fish and supposed to have come from Sea Of Galilee.  Can be used in almost all sole/flounder recipes. Most of it today is farm raised and flash frozen IQF

I top it with mayo, chopped dill  and seasoned bread crumbs a splash of lemon juice ,all on top of a mound of crabmeat stuffing, white wine and bake .

Mayo on top of cooked fish goes well, it keeps it moist, has correct seasonings.


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## kees5 (Sep 18, 2010)

Indigenous Lao ways to deal with Tilapia. called Pa Nin in Lao.

http://www.foodfromnorthernlaos.com/2010/11/05/kmhmu-fish-dishes-khmu/

Please tell me if I overstep my bounderies. Unfortunately this one in only on the blog


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## janachen (Nov 19, 2010)

I visited my friend and her mom prepared this for me... one of the best tilapia recipe I've ever tasted...
[h3]Ingredients:[/h3]
1 to 1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
2/3 cup flour
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter, optional
[h3]Preparation:[/h3]
Rinse tilapia fillets with cold water; pat dry.

Put flour in a shallow bowl or plate.

In another shallow bowl or pie plate, combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, seasonings, and herbs.

In another shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk eggs with cream or milk.

Dip fillets into the flour, then into the egg mixture, then dip in seasoned crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray. If desired drizzle each fillet with a little melted butter.

Bake at 400° for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.



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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

I wonder how Tilapia would be cooked as Pescado Zarandeado.........I think maybe BDL may have a vision on how this may work out.........I always see the whole Tilapia in my local Mexican fish counter and that's the first thing I think of doing with them.............................ChefBillyB


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## gonefishin (Nov 6, 2004)

MaryB said:


> I guess I am spoiled from eating walleye and northern pike!


 Yes, you are!

enjoy it for us /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif

I've got an Asian store near me that carries whole tilapia, fillet and live. I usually pass on the tilapia in favor of some other fish. I'm not anti-tilapia...there's just so many other choices. Every time that I've cooked with tilapia before it's been frozen. It will be interesting to give it a try fresh.

Chris, would you be interested in posting a how to on tofu thread? It's always interesting to hear things from your perspective.

thanks,

dan


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

gonefishin said:


> Chris, would you be interested in posting a how to on tofu thread? It's always interesting to hear things from your perspective.


Happy to. Just one problem: what's "tofu thread"? The only thing I know of like that, off the top of my head, is an old Chinese showoff trick of slicing tofu into zillions of even threads, and I am hardly the guy to teach anyone how to do this.


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## gonefishin (Nov 6, 2004)

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/rollsmile.gif maybe I didn't say that right.

Chris, how do you tie a tofu thread together with this post? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/blushing.gif

oh...I don't know!

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif dan


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

kuan said:


> Tilapia USED to be the fish which ate what the catfish left behind. Nowadays it's actually quite good when raised on the farm. As for recipes, I suppose there's no real limit to what you could do with it. Saute, bake, poach, fry, steam... and with either of these methods an almost endless list of sauces and garnishes. I don't think there's a standard "classical" preparation of tilapia  but you could always try your hand at tilapia a la manure if you want
> 
> Kuan


Now Tilapia eat what other Tilapia leave behind. I guess if you ever have a shitty fillet, your more right than you will ever know..................


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## homemadecook (Jan 27, 2010)

For me, the best to cook Tilapia is grilled with, ginger, tomatoes, onions, garlic, black powdered pepper and soy sauce. wrap in aluminum foil to seal all the flavors in it. 

This is my all time favorite for the fish.


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