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Farm Raised Tilapia Over a Melon Mango Salad and… a Review of a New Cookbook

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Tilapia over Melon and Mango Salad

Socializing to any degree revolves around food or drink or both. I hate politics but I love food.  Both just happen to go together.

This past month was yet another heated debate on the future roadway of Atlanta.  Then of course, there was the fast food chicken debacle. No matter the outcome, food was a part of those debates.   If a dialog can remain pleasant, one doesn’t have to leave the table with indigestion.

For me however, if I see a dialog heading south…I discreetly reach up and turn off my hearing aids and focus on the food before me. Rude as this may sound…rude is people who defy compromise and I don’t like indigestion.

Meanwhile, Back at Café Du MondeMostly, there is the pleasurable, casual conversation discussing a new movie or new books. Which brings me to a new cookbook, authored by Peggy Sweeney-McDonald who once lived in New Orleans.

The book, Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde, consists of essays written by a mixture of people whose hearts and souls are part of or remain in New Orleans.

 

I’m embarrassed to say that I have never been to New Orleans but after reading what everyone was saying about their fair Southern City, a road trip is inevitable.

I love to read about people and where they came from and finally, how they arrived to their destination in life. I’m fascinated with the obstacles one must hurdle to achieve a goal.

The book is premised around the historical landmark in New Orleans, Café Du Monde. Beignets and café au laitDedicated to serving beignets and café au lait. That is all they serve. From the stories in her book, Peggy gives readers an inside view of this extremely popular stop in, rest a bit, converse a while and don’t worry about that powdered sugar on your face…it reveals where you’ve been unless you skipped out on work and run into your boss.

Individuals who provided stories also leave you with their favorite recipe.

I decided to re-create a recipe derived from Chef Tenney Flynn of GW Fin’s.  His story was on the quick re-opening of his restaurant after the devastation from Hurricane Katrina. Chef Flynn along with a few selected other restaurants were able to return for a hurried clean up so they could get food out to the many responders and the heroic rescue workers.

Chef Flynn used Pompano as his protein but I used Tilapia as my choice in fish because Pompano is not readily available this far north.

With fish at room temperature, season both sides with a combination of ground spices and herbs such as salt, peppers, chili, cardamom, cinnamon, oregano, thyme.  Or, buy a pre-mix blend of ingredients from the Grocery Store or Fish Market.

I you do make up your own blend, start with an 1/8 tsp. of each ingredient…taste and add, taste and add, taste and add.  You want a blend of ingredients that compliment each other and not overwhelm.  It’s fun to put together.  My husband and I have labeled various jars of dry mixes made for specific cuts of beef, chicken and fish. We even use on vegetables and fruits.

On a stove-top, set to medium high, heat a skillet first, then, pour in enough Canola oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil begins to swirl, carefully place the filet of fish in the pan.  Allow to sear at least three minutes before turning. Sear the other side the same amount of time.

For the fruit...

Make a combination of melon and mango chunks and place in a bowl. In a separate, small bowl, pour an 1/8 cup of Raspberry Vinaigrette, add juice from 1/4 lemon, a pinch of chili powder.  Mix together and pour over melon and mango. Garnish with Cilantro.  Allow to marinate in the fridge for just a while before serving.

Tilapia over Melon and Mango Salad

 

Enjoy,
Pam

 

tilapia with tomato pancetta sauce and green beans

Tilapia Over Tomato Pancetta Sauce

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tilapia with tomato pancetta sauce and green beans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was feeling like a Stepford Wife preparing dinner and waiting for my husband to arrive home from a late afternoon meeting. He reminded me that morning the usual monthly meeting may run late due to a lengthy agenda in place.  So I wanted something I could put together quickly to avoid a late dinner.

We could have had leftovers but this wasn’t a leftover night.  Knowing I would be leaving for a few days, I would let him forage from the leftovers in my absence.

I decided on Tilapia. Then, I remembered a tomato pancetta sauce he loves and never leaves for leftovers. Sauté green beans and it makes for a light dinner for a late evening.

 

tilapia in olive oil and balsamic vinegar marinadeFirst, I marinade the tilapia in balsamic vinegar and olive oil concoction. Tilapia only takes a few minutes to cook.

Then I grab a can of my favorite tomatoes some pancetta and a few other ingredients for the sauce and prepare this.

The green beans are washed and set aside to dry. Only moments to cook these.

Holy Moly! I realize I have a lot of time on my hands. I consider a glass of wine is in order.

I don’t have TiVo so I watch all movies and TV shows on Hulu or Netflix. With wine in hand I sat down and watched the series, DC Cupcakes. Shows like this really stress me out.  I can’t decide if they are exaggerating about time constraints to lead the viewers on or if they really do over book orders.

Recipe and ingredients

Two Tilapia

Marinade

1/4 cup Olive Oil, preferably, Georgia Olive Oil
Two Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
Pinch of freshly chopped Rosemary

Sauce

One 14.5 oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes, I only use Muir Glen Organic
1/2 sweet onion, diced, preferably Vidalia
Two cloves garlic, minced
Four slices pancetta or bacon, chopped
Pinch of salt and pepper
Pinch of freshly chopped Rosemary
1/4 cup red wine

1/4 pound green beans

Blend ingredients for marinade and pour over fish, cover and set aside while you prepare and cook sauce OR place in fridge if you marinade earlier.

Brown pancetta/bacon. Remove cooked, chopped pieces from skillet and set aside on paper towel. Pour out grease leaving about a tablespoon in the skillet. In this skillet, sauté onion until brown. pour a little wine to de-glaze with. Add the garlic, can of tomatoes and cooked bacon. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Let simmer for about five minutes and then pour in remainder of wine. Stir well, turn off heat and cover until fish is done. This allows the sauce to absorb more of the wine flavor.

Simultaneously, both the fish and green beans can be cooked in two separate skillets.

Sauté on medium high heat, green beans. Season with pinch of salt and pepper. When done, turn off stove and drizzle balsamic vinegar for flavoring.

In a separate skillet, pour enough olive oil to coat bottom of skillet. Sauté tilapia on medium high for three minutes on each side. While cooking, drizzle over fish, leftover marinade.

Plate and garnish with fresh flat-leafed parsley.

The entire meal can be prepared and completed in 30 minutes.