I am working very hard to eat healthy this year and one way I am doing this is to increase my intake of vegetables, to limit red meat, and to focus more on seafood and poultry. Eating seafood every night can get expensive unless you are lucky enough to have fresh, locally caught fish in your area. Here in Florida, tilapia is a light tasting, inexpensive fish that we buy often and because of it’s mild flavor it can be used in many recipes. We have been buying a large package of tilapia in bulk at Costco, and I simply divide it up at home and freeze in meal size servings. I was calculating the cost of this tilapia, and we are able to enjoy a good sized tilapia fillet each for under $2 a portion by buying it this way. Certainly not expensive for seafood!

If you do not have tilapia in your area, any mild white fish fillets would do such as flounder or snapper. I have found that the best way to cook these fillets so they do not dry out is to either bread them and quickly pan fry them, or bake them as I do in this recipe in a sauce of roasted tomatoes. This has quickly become our latest favorite seafood recipe that we have been making once a week since the new year began because it is flavorful, moist, and along with some roasted vegetables makes a perfect quick mid-week dinner. This dish is what Italian home cooking is all about…..fresh local ingredients cooked simply, to truly enjoy the natural flavors of the food.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2011

Tilapia With Roasted Tomatoes, Capers & Olives

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

With just a few additions, basic white fillets become an elegant and delicious entree.

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Ingredients

• 4 Skinless, Boneless Fish Fillets (About 6 Ounces Each)
• 2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Salted Capers, Rinsed Well
• Salt & Pepper
• 4 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
• 1/3 Cup Pitted Black Olives

Dressing:

• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a casserole dish large enough to hold the fish fillets, add the tomatoes, capers, olives, 3 tablespoons olive oil, basil, salt and pepper.
3. Roast the tomato mixture for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened and begun to release their juices.
4. Use a large spoon to move the tomatoes aside, and lay the fish fillets in the casserole dish side by side.
5. Spoon the tomato mixture on top.
6. In a small bowl mix together the dressing ingredients and drizzle this over the fish.
7. Bake until the fillets flake easily and are cooked through, about another 10 minutes..
8. Serve a fillet per person with a spoonful of the tomato mixture and juice on top.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 fillet
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 298Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 12g