Tilapia Francese

Melissa has had a photo of this Tilapia Francese as her signature picture on our cooking board for awhile now. Every time I see it I think, "why haven't I made that recipe yet?" When I had 3 filets of tilapia left after making the Tilapia Parmesan recently I knew exactly what I was going to make.


We recently went to a 1st birthday party at an Italian restaurant. One of the dishes they served was Tilapia Francese. I wish I'd known it was coming so I could have saved some room. It arrived at the table after the stuffed mushrooms, mozzarella sticks, salad, three different types of pasta, eggplant rollatini and chicken parmesan. Like I said, it was an Italian restaurant. Eating a small piece at the party made me even more excited for this dish.


I'm happy to report this was exactly like what was served at the party. Even SP agreed this was a restaurant-quality meal. I wanted some extra sauce to toss with the pasta so I increased the white wine and lemon juice but also added chicken broth to mellow out the flavors and add some body. It was perfect. Silky smooth from the flour on the fish and just tangy enough from the lemon juice.

Thanks for an awesome recipe, Melissa!

Tilapia Francese
Slightly adapted from I Was Born to Cook

3 pieces tilapia filets
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 lb spagetti or other pasta, cooked according to package directions

Place flour in a pie plate and season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg and water in a second pie plate. Gently coat each tilapia filet with flour on both sides, then place in the egg wash, coating on both side, then put back in the flour and coat on both side.

Heat butter and oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place tilapia in pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add lemon juice and wine and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Do not flip the fish over once the liquid has been added. Remove the tilapia from the pan. Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Top the tilapia with some of the sauce and garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley. Toss the spaghetti or pasta with the rest of the sauce. Serve immediately.

Parmesan Tilapia with Roasted Tomatoes

We don't eat enough fish, especially since we discovered we just don't like salmon. In an effort to continue eating healthier, I've been on the lookout for fish recipes that don't sacrifice flavor. Enter this recipe for Parmesan Tilapia that's been circulating on my favorite food blogs for awhile now.


It may seem like Parmesan, mayo and butter on top of fish negates any healthy properties this recipe might have, but you're using so little of each and spreading it over 4 filets. I wanted to cut the richness of the topping while using up a few grape tomatoes that needed to be eaten, so I added a roasted tomato and basil topping. It was the perfect accompaniment, light and summery and packed with delicious tomato flavor.


Since I've never used my broiler (mine isn't in my oven) I just baked the fish. The topping didn't get brown and bubbly, but the flavor was still amazing, especially when paired with the roasted tomatoes. This is a simple, delicious meal that takes practically no time to make. I served it with roasted asparagus that cooked alongside the fish. Perfection.

Parmesan Tilapia with Roasted Tomatoes
Modified from Mrs. B Cooks, as seen on The Way to His Heart

1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup basil leaves, lightly packed, finely minced
1 lb tilapia filets
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon onion salt
Ground black pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Toss tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until soft. Allow to cool slightly, then remove skins (optional). Toss in a bowl with the minced basil and any juice from the baking sheet.

Switch on the broiler or keep the oven at 350. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange tilapia filets in a single layer on baking pan. Broil a few inches from heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or cook for 8 minutes. Flip the filets over and broil for an additional 2 minutes (only do if broiling).

In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Remove the fish from the oven and cover filets with Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Return to broiler and continue cooking until the top is lightly browned and the fish flakes easily with a fork. If baking, cook another 8 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven. Place one filet on each of 4 plates and top with some of the roasted tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Recipe Swap - Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce

Want to see what other Healthy recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Healthy Recipe Swap Roundup

Since many people make one of their New Years resolutions to eat healthier and/or lose weight, I thought a Healthy Recipe Swap would be a good idea. I've been trying to lose some weight myself and have been very successful so far, although admittedly it isn't because I'm buying low-fat foods or using whole wheat pasta. I'm just eating less of the full-fat things I like. I know, I know, that isn't the best choice. But I just can't deny myself the things I love and I love food.

The recipe I received for the swap was Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce. I was planning to sub the salmon for cod or halibut, but when SP went to the store he told me both cod and halibut were way too expensive ($30/lb for halibut? Seriously? I can buy filet for that much money). So despite not being a huge fan of salmon, we went that route.


This was definitely an easy recipe to make and I'd venture it's pretty healthy since you're poaching the salmon instead of pan-searing it (which is the only way I've liked it in the past). The sauce was really good, but a little thin. I think some cornstarch would have helped to thicken it up a bit. And no, I didn't use reduced-fat sour cream. I also subbed parsley for the dill since I don't cook much with dill and didn't want to have the leftovers go to waste.

Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce
Cheese Curd in Paradise

1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skin removed and cut into 4 portions
1 cup dry white wine, divided
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or parsley

Place salmon in a large skillet. Add 1/2 cup wine and enough water to just cover the salmon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, turn the salmon over, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/2 cup wine; boil until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and capers; cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and salt. To serve, top the salmon with the sauce and garnish with dill.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Fish/Seafood

Fish/seafood was the theme for this recipe swap. I don't cook fish often, but that's going to change. There are so many delicious recipes below I'll be able to make one once a week for the next few months. I just wish shrimp was cheaper. I could easily eat it once a week.

Nicole was pleasantly surprised by her recipe for Grilled Salmon and Potatoes with Quick Tomato Chutney:


Jenna is new to cooking seafood, so she was happy with her super easy and delicious recipe for Garlic Lime Shrimp Pasta:


Jessy satisfied her love of lobster rolls with her recipe for Shrimp Salad Sandwiches:


Caitlin had a hometown connection to her recipe for Hot Crab Dip:


The Cooking Nurse had one of my favorite shrimp recipes, Ginger, Scallion and Garlic Shrimp:


Peace, Love and French Fries cooked outside of her comfort zone with Almond Crusted Salmon:


I rarely cook salmon but this Honey Mustard Salmon with Potatoes and Asparagus has made me anxious to cook this delicious meal again:


Melissa was happy to add another delicious salmon recipe to her repertoire with Lemon-Dill Salmon:


Jey turned her recipe into Spicy Shrimp and Mango Tacos:


Coleen was excited to expand her fish/seafood palate with her recipe for Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa:


Jaida tried a new twist on salmon with Juice Box Salmon with Creamy Russian Dressing:


Dawn loves seafood and really enjoyed her recipe for Zesty Shrimp with Arugula:


The Cookaholic Wife took a trip down memory lane with her recipe for Parmesan Tilapia:


Joelen recently discovered she has a gluten sensitivity so she modified her recipe for Tilapia with Chile Garlic Orange Relish:


Nicole enjoyed her Shrimp Bisque:

Fish Filets, Fries and Corn

Warning - The only thing homemade in this post is the tartar sauce.

I have to admit, even if some of my readers are disappointed, that since having Baby Girl my food standards have gone way, way down. Whereas before I frowned upon convenience foods like boxed potatoes, powdered sauces, soup from a can, heck, even frozen veggies, these days I've actually cooked (and enjoyed) Hamburger Helper. I just don't have the same kind of time to cook that I once did and while I hope that as Baby Girl gets older I can return to my from-scratch ways, I'm shocked to say we're doing just fine with some of the prepackaged items. Like these fish filets that I served recently:


They were Gorton's and all I had to do was bake them, along with the fries, and dinner was served. I added frozen corn since that's SP's favorite veggie and homemade tartar sauce (just mix mayo and relish together).