Tilapia gets a spicy kick in this recipe, thanks to a Cajun-style compound butter.
This is one of those tilapia recipes you can pull together in less than 20 minutes, yet it tastes as good as any fish you'd get in a gourmet restaurant. The secret is in the compound butter.
Compound butter is just a fancy way of saying flavored butter. You know all those flavored cream cheeses you can find at your local supermarket? Well, a compound butter is basically the same thing: You just add flavorings (sweet or savory) to softened butter. You can use just about any combination of herbs, citrus juices, sauces, and even nuts and fruits to make a compound butter.
And the best part is it only takes a few minutes to make a compound butter, yet it makes everything from steamed vegetables to fish taste out of this world!
To soften the butter in this tilapia recipe, just take it out of the fridge and leave it on the counter for about 15 to 30 minutes. Do not microwave the butter. You don't want it to be heated.
Cajun Tilapia
- 2 pounds tilapia fillets (thawed, if frozen)
- 1Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 Tbsp. butter, softened
- 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
- juice of one lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)
Wash the tilapia fish fillets and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat the olive oil in a large (at least 12-inch) frying pan over medium heat. Meanwhile mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
Dredge the tilapia fillets in the flour mixture to coat lightly. Brush off excess flour. Place the tilapia in the frying pan in a single layer (you will probably have to saute the tilapia in batches) and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove from pan and tent with foil until all the tilapia is cooked.
To make the compound butter: With a spatula, mix the softened butter with the Cajun seasoning and lemon juice. Top each tilapia serving with a half-tablespoon of the compound butter. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if desired.
Makes 6 generous servings.
Per serving: 239 calories, 11 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 90 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein, 15% vitamin A, 13% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 8% iron
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