23 July, 2009

the recipe for delicious



alright. enough of you were interested in the recipes from this post to make posting them worthwhile, so here you go!

parmigiano-crusted tilapia with quick tomato sauce

serves 4 (we used 3.5 ounce fillets though, and it only served 2...but levi can eat a lot)

2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp)
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
pinch of granulated sugar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs (i used the kind in a can from the store)
3/4 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano (i used fresh grated parmesan because my market didn't have the blend)
1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, chives, or oregano (i used thyme and parsley)
4 6 ounce skinless tilapia fillets
1 large egg

- In a 1-2 quart heavy saucepan, cook the garlic in 2 tbsp of the oil over medium heat until it begins to color, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I made some angel hair pasta to go with the extra sauce. Delicious!)

- Meanwhile, on a large plate, toss the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, herbs, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

- Season the fish with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a wide, shallow dish. Dip each fillet in the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it on to help it adhere.

- In a 12 inch heavy-duty nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add two of the fillets and cook until the coating is nicely browned and the flesh is opaque and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spoon to move the fish. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Serve the tilapia with a spoonful of the sauce.

The recipe recommends serving this dish with sauteed broccoli rabe, but I served it with roasted asparagus instead. Here's that recipe!

basic roasted asparagus

serves 3-4 (it served 2 for us...but like i said before, levi eats a lot)

1 lb. asparagus
1-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh lemon juice (optional)

- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 475 F. Rinse the asparagus, pat dry, and snap off the tough bottom ends. In a medium bowl, toss the asparagus with enough of the olive oil to coat generously, 1/2 tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

- Turn the asparagus out onto a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment, if you like) and arrange the pieces so that they are evenly spaced. If the pieces cover the baking sheet sparsely, arrange them toward the edges of the baking sheet for the best browning. Roast for 5 minutes, flip, and roast until tender and a bit shriveled, 5-8 minutes. (I roasted them for 9 more minutes.)

- Return asparagus to the bowl in which you tossed them with oil, or put them in a clean serving bowl. If they seem a bit dry, drizzle them with a little oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. (If you choose to use lemon juice, don't use too much - just a small squeeze is enough. Also, I made the mistake of covering the bowl with a towel to keep them warm while I finished everything else. This steamed them, so they lost some of their yummy roasty taste. These are best eaten immediately.)

Voila! These recipes are super simple and very tasty. Let me know if you make them!

11 comments:

  1. ooh. i love your blog! thanks so much for stopping by mine today and for your sweet sweet comments.
    all good things,
    k

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  2. Thanks :)
    i will always love that poem♥
    hahaha
    nice bloggg!
    i like it ;)!

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  3. yuuum! ill be using this :) j loves fish!

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  4. Thanks so much for the recipe! I can't wait to make it!

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  5. Thanks Jasmine! The tilapia looks so delicious, I just bought some from the market and will be hopefully trying out the recipe this weekend!

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  6. I'll try this, I love cooking and this seems to be delicious!!

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  7. Thanks for sharing! :)

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  8. Hello. Just came across your blog.I think its really different and unique. I like it a lot. Feel free to come check out mine if you like.

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  9. Mmm - sounds so yummy - We're going to have to try this!

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  10. Hey Jasi....you can find parmigiano-reggiano at Trader Joe's. I think it's like a 5 oz. tub(not very sure) but I believe it's under $5. Btw, your recipe sounds delish!

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