Tilapia Fillets with Pecan Butter Sauce

When we plan fish for dinner we usually grill outside so the house does not fill with the fishy odors. Salmon is extremely good on the grill and only takes a few minutes on each side. One fish I like to cook indoors is tilapia. The fillets usually are so flaky that you need to be extra careful that they will not fall apart and on the grill they make a mess unless you use a heavy skillet to cook in. I have found that using a very large spatula lifts the fish easily and in one piece and there is no fishy odor afterward. Consider this recipe, which serves 4 and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.

Tilapia Fillets with Pecan Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup long-grain and wild rice

1 pound green beans, trimmed

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

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1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

Salt and Pepper

2 teaspoons canola oil

4 6-ounce tilapia fillets halved lengthwise

Method:

• Cook rice according to package directions.
• Steam green beans until tender (6 to 8 minutes).
• Meanwhile, cook the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in pecans and cook, stirring, until butter is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the tilapia with 1/2-teaspoon salt and ¼-teaspoon pepper. Cook the fillets until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. (You may have to cook the fillets in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet.)
• Drizzle the tilapia with the sauce and serve with the rice, green beans, and lemon wedges.
• Dessert is always a special treat and after a fish dinner I like to serve something with lemon, like a sherbet, or lemon pudding. I found Mini Filo Shells at Basha’s (near the ice cream freezer) that I like to fill with lemon pudding, and then top with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry. Delicious! You can experiment with ice cream or other various fillings and, I am sure, you will enjoy it all.

Notes: Uncle Ben’s soft-pack Long-Grain & Wild Rice is good for 4 servings and takes 90 seconds to heat. C&W Petite Whole Green Beans are a good substitute for fresh ones. I use dried parsley flakes instead of fresh. A 2 oz. package of pecan chips is equal to 1/2 cup. Hope this helps in the preparation of your delectable fish dinner.