It's Thyme Fish Take Center Stage

It’s Thyme Fish Take Center Stage

Main Course / October 2, 2013

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, mama gotta cook something great, first try? …. Wait, really? That’s not how it goes? Well, it feels like it. Especially if you’re pressed for time and surrounded by hungry, grumpy faces who have no idea you can’t create miracles EVERY night. “Feed me or else!” is the narrative emerging from their glazed eyes. Don’t fret. Grab and pan and read on.

Let’s go back to the first sentence. Fish – yes. That’s it. Let’s try fish. Healthy, and takes on flavors so easily, plus it’s really quick to cook. It’s the perfect canvas for the debut of our new series called Fabulous in Forty Minutes or Less. We combined ready-made ingredients you can keep on hand, with some easy techniques and fresh ingredients, for a fool-proof way to keep everyone happy first time, every time.

Cashew Crusted Tilapia with a sweet Chill and Orange Glaze

Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 fresh tilapia filets, blotted dry
1/4 C Girard’s Champagne Salad Dressing
2 T plus 1/8 Cup Sweet Chili Sauce (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
Juice from one orange Orange slices for garnish 1/4 t Salt and 1/8 t Pepper
2 T thyme leaves and 5 sprigs thyme
1/2 C salted cashews, blended to coarse crumbs 2 T cashew pieces for garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tilapia filets in a baking dish, with the edges touching but not overlapping. They should all be uniform in thickness.
In another small bowl, add sweet chili sauce and orange juice to champagne dressing, mix with fork to combine. Remove thyme leaves for the garnish and discard the stems. Pulse the cashews in a small food processor until they are coarse crumbs. Now cover filets with sauce, turn over and over again until they are coated. Dust with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cashew crumbs over the top and place the remaining thyme sprigs, all piled together, on top in the center. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until opaque. DO NOT OVER COOK! The fish will cook at bit more when you the dish out. Err on the side of not done.
Serve with green beans and your favorite starch, and garnish with whole cashews, thyme leaves, and extra chili sauce glaze. Arrange orange slices to finish.