Citrus Tilapia
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I love it when I can get my children to eat fish. I’m not sure why, but it feels like a moral victory.
A few weeks ago, I was planning to try a citrus fish recipe from Mark Bittman’s Kitchen Express. I stopped at a new fish market, and I panicked at the fish counter because most of the prices were in the $19.99 a pound range. I scanned the fish case and noticed that their tilapia was $7.99 a pound.
“My kids will never eat tilapia,” I thought, but with no better option in front of me, I bought some. It didn’t work with the Bittman recipe, which required a “firm fillet” for grilling, so I improvised. I modified the cooking method and made a simple citrus sauce.
After my nine-year-old son took his first bite of this fish, he said, “This is by far the best fish I’ve ever had.” Success! His sister liked it too, although she didn’t want to admit it. She did have more than one serving. After making it a second time, I can say that we will be putting this meal into our rotation.
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup flour (white whole wheat or gluten-free)
- Sprinkle of salt and pepper
- 1 lb tilapia fillets
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice or a combination
- 1 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs honey
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt, and pepper on a plate and dredge the tilapia fillets in the mixture.
- Pour the oil into a large skillet and heat it over medium heat. Cook each piece of tilapia for about 3 minutes on each side (until cooked through). Set aside.
- Combine the orange juice, lemon/lime juice, soy sauce, and honey in a medium bowl. Pour the sauce into the pan and heat through. Add the fish to the pan and cook for a minute, flipping once and making sure to cover the fish with the sauce.
- Transfer the fish to a platter and pour the remaining sauce on the fish. Serve immediately.
Approximate Nutrition Info
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Citrus Tilapia Price Breakdown
This dish costs $9.25 to make, or $2.31 per serving. It’s a great, affordable entrée, and it’s especially satisfying for me because it gives me a simple way to get my children to eat fish.
Tilapia is such a great fish with so much appeal. I love your recipe. Please share it with us today on foodie friday.
Thanks, Diane. Will do.
That looks really yummy!
Thanks!
That is a moral victory, good job!! Yum, a fish recipe that kids will eat! My daughter will eat my teriyaki salmon, and cod if it’s in fish stick form, but that’s about it in the fish department. Will have to give this one a try!
I like Mark Bittman’s approach to cooking, simple but delicious.
It’s great that you got your daughter started on salmon early. Bittman is one of my favorites. I appreciate his recipe style – “a handful of this, a couple scoops of that.”
I have a problem eating fish….I might just have to use this to help myself! 😡
It’s worth a try!
Sounds really yummy – my husband would love this. He’s a total tilapia fan!
Thanks, Stephanie. Let me know if you have other ideas for serving tilapia. I was thinking about fish tacos.