I’m sure you’ve noticed from my blog posts that I’m not a huge fish eater. Perhaps it’s because I never really ate any fish while growing up except at parties which most likely had shrimp, calamari or clams as appetizers. We never really sat down to a fish dinner as a family though. I definitely don’t feel like I missed out on anything because I still ate like a queen (or princess in my case). Shaun’s childhood was not like that. Fish was very much a part of his life. I mean he grew up in New England and his parents have owned a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire for most of his life, how could it not be? Now, when we go out to dinner, fish is usually what Shaun wants to get because he knows he won’t have it at home. That is… until now!
Now that we are in the Lenten season, meat is banned from our diet on Fridays. Because I know how much Shaun likes fish, I planted some bait and told him we would start having fish on Fridays. Of course he was psyched about that idea! The one caveat was that we would have to cook the meal together. Him on his laptop at the kitchen island watching me cook did not count. For this tilapia dish, I finally took the backseat for once. I did help him get the ingredients prepped while he dredged the fish and sautéed the fillets all by himself. I have to say, the dish was great! I know tilapia is a very mild white fish so it was kind of a cop-out. Whatever. Baby steps people… baby steps…
The sauce was so flavorful that I almost forgot I was eating fish. Capers add such a salty bite to any dish. I love those little flower buds! Of course the white wine added a nice background note as well. We had a glass with dinner to complement our meal. We’re so classy.
Tilapia in Caper Sauce, Roman Style (adapted from Roma: Authentic Recipes from In and Around the Eternal City via Cookstr)
Ingredients:
- 1 pound tilapia fillets (approximately 4 pieces)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup flour for dredging
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Directions:
- Pat the fillets dry with paper towels. This step is very important in order to sauté the fillets properly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the flour out onto a large plate. In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, lightly dredge the fillets in the flour. Dredging must be done at the last minute to assure a crisp coating.
- When the butter foam has subsided, slip the fillets into the skillet. Sauté over medium to medium-high heat until lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of the fillets, turning them only once. Transfer to a plate and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the capers and wine. Stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the alcohol has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley.
- Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.
Tutti Mangia!
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