Recipe 9: Mediterranean tilapia casserole
As this is a Mediterranean dish, and in the Mediterranean family is key, this dish serves 8 people. It is a wonderful dish to use if you have got 8 hungry mouths to feed, as it is beautifully rich in color and texture, and easily made and served with rice. Alternatively adjust the ingredient quantities to suit.
(Preparation time approx 30 minutes, cooking time approx 20 minutes)
Ingredients
* 8 tilapia fillets
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
* 4 onions, chopped
* 2 lb fresh ripe tomatoes, skins removed and chopped
* 2 tablespoons of sun dried tomato paste
* 2 small glasses of white wine
* 20 black olives, halved and stones removed
* Freshly ground sea salt and pepper to season
* Bunch of chopped fresh parsley
Method
* Pre heat the oven to 350F (180c) and lightly grease a large oven proof dish.
* Dry the fillets on a piece of kitchen paper, and place into the dish, set aside.
* Heat the oil in a pan, and fry the garlic, onion and 3/4 of the parsley over a low heat for 5 minutes.
* Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and wine. Stir, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
* Gently simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
* Add the olives to the sauce, then pour over the fillets, coating each one well.
* Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked.
* Serve on a bed of rice, and a sprinkling of parsley.
Recipe 8 – Tilapia fish soup
(Preparation and cooking time 45 minutes, approx)
Ingredients
* 1 pint of fish stock
* 3 tablespoons of white wine
* 2 onions, 1 red, 1 green, sliced
* 4 crushed cloves of garlic
* 1 leek, sliced
* 1 stick of celery, sliced into chunks
* 1 lb fresh tomatoes, skins removed and chopped into chunks
* 1 red pepper, de-seeded, and chopped
* 1 tablespoon sun dried tomato paste
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Squeeze lemon juice, and grated zest of 1/2 lemon
* 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
* 1 finely shredded bay leaf
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1 lb Tilapia, cut into chunks
* Freshly ground salt and black pepper to season
* Pinch of sugar to taste
Serves 4
Method
* In a pan heat up the oil, and cook the garlic, onion, and leek over a medium heat until soft, approximately 5-8 minutes.
* Add the fish stock, wine, celery, red pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon juice and zest, stir.
* Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes, or until the vegetables are nearly soft.
* Add the fish, thyme, dill, and bay leaf, and gently simmer for for a further 3-5 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
* Season with salt and pepper, and sugar to taste and add 3 tablespoons of parsley.
* Serve with a warm crusty roll, and a sprinkle of parsley.
Recipe 7: Tilapia fish pie
This is a great hearty, wholesome, healthy recipe. Perfect to come home to on a dark Winters evening, served with seasonal vegetables. This dish is equally perfect on a Summers evening served with a crisp salad.
(Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time approx 1 hour 10 minutes)
Ingredients
For the fish base:
* 1 lb of Tilapia fillets
* 1 cup of cooked prawns
For the sauce
* 3/4 pint of warm milk
* 3 tablespoons of flour
* 3 tablespoons of butter
* Squeeze of lemon juice
* freshly ground black pepper to season
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
For the topping
* 1 1/2 lb potatoes
* 2 tablespoons of butter
* Dash of milk
* Freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste
* Cheese of your choice to top. (optional)
Serves 4
Method
* Pre heat the oven to 390F (200c)
* Remove the skin from the fish, and dry on kitchen paper. Cut the fish into bite sized chunks.
* Grease a 2 litre shallow oven proof dish, and scatter the fish and prawns in an even layer on the bottom. Set aside
* Peel, quarter, and rinse the potatoes. Cook them in a pan of boiling water for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked.
* Whilst the potatoes are simmering, melt the butter over a medium heat.
* Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
* Add the milk a little at a time ensuring that it has blended before adding more.
* Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
* Add the parsley, lemon juice, and season with pepper.
* Pour the finished sauce over the fish in the dish.
* Pour away the potato water, and mash potatoes with the butter and milk, to form a smooth topping. Season to taste
* Smooth the potatoes over the fish base evenly, and sprinkle cheese on top if desired.
* Bake in the oven for approximately 45-50 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown on top.
