I recently hosted a cooking show focused on healthy entrees, and this cornmeal crusted tilapia recipe was a huge hit with our guests.
Tilapia is now one of the Top 10 fish consumed in America. In fact, four ounces of tilapia has just over 100 calories, 21 grams of protein, and no saturated fat or cholesterol.
Tilapia recipes can include baked tilapia, grilled tilapia or fried tilapia. I chose a cornmeal crusted tilapia recipe served with sauteed bell peppers. Tilapia is a fresh water fish whose meat is firm, white and flaky. It has a pleasant mild and sweet flavor, and is reasonably priced in comparison to other seafood.
We recommend only U.S. farmed tilapia, followed by those farmed from Peru or Ecuador. Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch warns that tilapia from China and Taiwan may be contaminated.
Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia with Sautéed Peppers
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comIngredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 6 tilapia filets
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil for cooking
Bell Pepper Topping
- 1/4 onion thinly sliced
- 1 pasilla or poblano pepper seeded and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tomato small diced
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- To begin, toast about 1 cup of cornmeal in a large saute pan over medium heat. After about 2 minutes, set the cornmeal aside in a large 13×9 casserole dish.
- Next, we're going to prepare the sauteed pepper topping. Whatever sauce you don't use, can easily be frozen.
- Place about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add 1/4 of a thinly sliced onion, 1 seeded and sliced pasilla or poblano pepper, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper and 1 thinly sliced green bell pepper.
- After that cooks down and becomes soft, add 1/2 cup of water, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 small diced tomato, 1/2 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. tomato paste and 1 bay leaf. Stir and simmer about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens up. Keep over very low heat until ready to serve, and season to taste with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Next, season each tilapia filet with salt and pepper, and roll in the toasted cornmeal. Make sure to coat both sides well.
- In a large saute pan, heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, fry the tilapia until crisp and brown — about 4-5 minutes each side.
- Serve with a generous topping of the sauteed peppers and steamed basmati rice.
