You have little ones, and they want fast food. You, on the other hand want to give your family something wholesome and homemade, but don't have a lot of time. Dinner Solved! That's the name of a new cookbook from Katie Workman. She stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her book, which features easy to make, delicious recipes, you'll feel good about serving! One dish in particular, a tasty, but simple Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia. Katie says it gets made in just a few steps, and she says her kids love it! You can even gussy it up with a pan sauce made of shallots and some mustard. Check out her cookbook, and try some of the items she's suggesting. You might say your dinner...is solved!
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 fillets tilapia (8 ounces each)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chicken broth, preferably low-sodium
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, coarse or smooth
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 fillets tilapia (8 ounces each)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chicken broth, preferably low-sodium
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, coarse or smooth
1. Combine the cornmeal, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Cut each fillet down the middle (you will see a dividing line). Dredge each piece in the cornmeal mixture, making sure each piece is completely coated. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and golden, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Let cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place half the coated fillets in the pan, making sure they are not touching. Cook until each side is golden brown, and the fish is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes in total, depending on the thickness of each piece (when you cut them in half you’ll see one side is thinner than the other). Transfer the fish to a plate and tent the plate with aluminum foil to keep the pieces warm. Wipe out any dallying crumbs from the skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and cook the remaining fish, transferring it all to the plate as it is finished cooking.
4. When you’re finished cooking the fish, keep the pan over the heat and add the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the broth begins to simmer, whisk in the mustard.
5. Serve the fish with mustard sauce drizzled over each piece and a scoop of the tomato-shallot mixture, or see the Fork in the Road and serve some of the pieces plain.
