This was a really refreshing and light dinner. The tomato vinaigrette was amazing and would be a great dressing for a mixed green salad as well. The one thing I would do differently next time would be to roast the tilapia in the oven instead of cooking it in a pan because it fell apart a bit. A thicker fish, like halibut or cod, would probably hold together better on a pan. But it was still delicious and was complemented very well by the salsa and vinaigrette. Tilapia is one of my favorite types of fish to cook because it is fairy inexpensive, low in fat and a great source of protein - one 4oz tilapia fillet provides 28g of protein!
Seared Tilapia with Tomato Vinaigrette & Gazpacho Salsa
Seared Tilapia
Ingredients
4 (6oz each) tilapia fillets
Olive oil to coat pan
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Ingredients
4 (6oz each) tilapia fillets
Olive oil to coat pan
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Directions
Bring tilapia to room temperature. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat large pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, coat evenly with olive oil. Once oil is hot, lay fish in pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until fish is golden but not sticking to the pan.
Tomato Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Directions
In small food processor (or a blender), puree tomato until smooth. Add sherry vinegar. With machine running, drizzle in olive oil slowly. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Gazpacho Salsa & Arranging Meal
Ingredients
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
2 organic bell peppers (I used 1 red, 1 yellow)
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
3 Tbsp parsley, chopped (for garnishing)
Directions
Bring tilapia to room temperature. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat large pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, coat evenly with olive oil. Once oil is hot, lay fish in pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until fish is golden but not sticking to the pan.
Tomato Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Directions
In small food processor (or a blender), puree tomato until smooth. Add sherry vinegar. With machine running, drizzle in olive oil slowly. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Gazpacho Salsa & Arranging Meal
Ingredients
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
2 organic bell peppers (I used 1 red, 1 yellow)
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
3 Tbsp parsley, chopped (for garnishing)
Directions
Toss salsa ingredients together and place one quarter of mixture on each plate. Place tilapia fillet on top and drizzle with vinaigrette. Garnish with parsley. Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side, if desired.
(Recipes adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman)
What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Tilapia is a low-fat fish and is packed with protein and B-vitamins. Tomatoes provide lots of vitamin C and lycopene. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Onions are rich in quercetin (a type of antioxidant) and vitamin C. Cucumbers are a great source of vitamin K and also provide some B vitamins and vitamin C. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.
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