Honey Lime Talapia

Yum yum yum...soo good. This is how I felt while eating this delicious fish.  I always think of talapia as a cheap fish, it is that but its also a delicious, tender, and tasty little friend of the freshwater "sea".  I didn't realized that I needed to marinade this fish for 1-4 hours so the fish sat in the marinade for about 5 mins.  It was so good even after just 5 mins, that I can only imagine that a little extra time would only bring out the sweet and tangy flavor of the marinade even more. I served it with my favorite Trader Joe's pilaf.

 

I didn't only re-connect with talapia again, I also reconnected with Mad Men.  I'm back on the wagon and I think I'm the last person (along with Lucas) to watch season 4.  I wish I liked Betty more because I would have congratulated her for leaving Don and invited her over for a Honey Lime talapia dinner but since she is so lame and annoying, I will not.

 

Enjoy this fish, its the best dish!

Marinade

4 tilapia fillets (about 4-5 ounces each)

2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 large lime)

Zest of 1 lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 clove garlic, finely minced (recipe called for 1 clove but I always toss in a few more)

Coating and Cooking:

1/2 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and garlic. Place the tilapia in a gallon-sized ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top of the fish. Press the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate the fish for at least an hour and up to 4 hours. It helps to lay the bag in a flat dish and turn it over once or twice during the marinading time since the marinade won't completely cover the fish.
2. Before cooking, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish like a pie plate. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until rippling and hot. Dredge each tilapia fillet in the flour, coating both sides lightly. Cook the fillets for 3-5 minutes per side without moving the fish while it cooks on each side; this will ensure a more even browning. Adjust the cooking time as needed depending on the thickness of the tilapia and the heat of the skillet and work in batches if necessary so the skillet isn't overcrowded.
3. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

 

adapted from Mel's Cafe