Sarasotas Sauteed Cucumbers With Pan Seared Tilapia Food

PAN-SEARED TILAPIA

Steps:

• Rinse tilapia fillets in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each fillet with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish; gently press each fillet into the flour to coat and shake off the excess flour.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook the tilapia in the hot oil until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 4 minutes per side. Brush the melted butter onto the tilapia in the last minute before removing from the skillet. Serve immediately.

SAUTEED TILAPIA WITH LEMON-CAPER PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk together chicken stock, lemon juice and capers. Lightly crush the capers.
• Season the tilapia fillets with salt and pepper. Then dredge them in flour, shaking off any excess. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt one teaspoon of butter over medium heat. Turn up the heat to medium-high and brown the butter (it should be a golden brown color). Add the fillets to the pan. Sauté for about 3 minutes on each side (they are done when the fish flakes easily with a fork). Add olive oil to the pan as needed if the pan becomes too dry. Transfer fillets to plates.
• Pour the broth mixture into pan, being careful of splatter - it will instantly boil, steam and hiss. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Continue heating and stirring until the mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove the pan from the burner and whisk in two teaspoons of butter. Spoon two tablespoons of mixture, give or take, over each fillet.

PAN FRIED TILAPIA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a shallow baking dish combine flour, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper. Add the tilapia and lightly coat each side.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess seasoned flour and place in the skillet. Brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place tilapia on a baking sheet that is lined with a paper grocery bag or paper towels and keep warm in the oven while you prepare the sauce.
• Turn down the heat to the pan the tilapia was cooked to low and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic, lemon juice and parsley and saute for 2 minutes. Place the fillets on serving plates or a platter, top with the sauce and serve.

SAUTEED CUCUMBER WITH DILL

Steps:

• Peel, halve lengthwise and seed the cucumber. Cut into chunks the size of large croutons or slice into thin half-moons. It depends on whether you want al dente chunks or soft, silkier petals. Both have their merits, depending on what you're serving with. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Saute the cucumber until hot and softened to your liking, about 5 minutes, depending on size. Season with salt and pepper and toss in the mint. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PAN SEARED FISH WITH CUCUMBER JALAPENO SLAW

Steps:

• To Make Cucumber Jalapeno Slaw: Place the sliced cucumbers, red and yellow bell peppers, jalapeno and red onions in a stainless mixing bowl.
• Combine the remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl and mix with a wire whip until evenly blended. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss until evenly blended. Adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt, if desired.
• Chill for at least 4 hours before using.
• Reduced Balsamic Glaze: Gently heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan, reducing to until very thick, but pourable, to about 1/4 cup; funnel into a squeeze bottle. Refrigerate. (Note: Simmer low and slow to produce a sweet sauce. High heat and quick cooking will make the sauce bitter.).
• Sweet Potato Mash: Place the peeled and diced sweet potatoes in a 6 quart pot. Add hot water and salt, then place the stockpot on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 35 minutes or until an inserted fork in the sweet potatoes pierce easily.
• Heat the milk, butter, white pepper and cinnamon in a small stockpot until warm, then set aside.
• Drain the water from the sweet potatoes and transfer them into a mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, mash until sweet potatoes are broken up. Add the warm seasoned milk and spices, mix again until the sweeet potatoes are smooth - being careful not to over mix. If needed, season with additional salt to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley.
• For the Fish: Heat oil in nonstick pan to high heat. Season fish with creole seasoning blend and place in hot saute pan cooking for 2-3 minutes until it has a seared color. Flip the fish over and finish cooking until done or until 145 degrees F.
• Make 5-6 zig-zags with the reduced balsamic drizzle on each plate. Place the hot sweet potato mash in the center of plate and place 3 spears of asparagus radiating out from mash to the side. Place the fish slaw, and lay a cilantro sprig atop the slaw.
• Garnish each plate with a lemon and lime slice and sprinkle with chopped chives.

PAN-SEARED TILAPIA

Steps:

• To make the salsa: Stir the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro together in a small bowl. Stir in the lime juice, olive oil and chile. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the fish.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Pour enough canola oil into a large frying pan to generously coat the bottom. Heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
• While the oil is heating, season as many of the fillets as will fit in the pan comfortably with salt and pepper. Dredge the seasoned fillets in flour to coat both sides and shake off the excess flour. Carefully slip the coated snapper into the hot oil and give the pan a little shake to prevent sticking. Cook until lightly golden on the underside side, about 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and cook until the thickest part of the fillets are opaque at the center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining fillets, adding more oil to the pan, if necessary.
• Serve warm, passing the tomato salsa separately.

PAN-SEARED TILAPIA WITH CHILE LIME BUTTER

Steps:

• Make chile lime butter:.
• Stir together butter, shallot, zest, lime juice, chile and salt in a bowl.
• Prepare fish:.
• Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until just smoking.
• Saute 3 pieces of fish, using a spatula to turn once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a plate and saute remaining fish in same manner.
• Serve each piece of fish with a dollop of chile lime butter.

SAUTEED CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• Peel cucumber, and cut into large chunks.
• In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cucumber and salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with dill or parsley.

PAN-FRIED CUCUMBER

Steps:

• Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and then, with the knife at an angle, cut each half into slanted, almost semicircular slices about 1/4 inch thick.
• Heat the wok over a high flame until smoke rises, then add the oil and swirl around; add the cucumber and fry for a few minutes until the slices are tinged a little golden. Spread the slices out so they cover as much as possible of the bottom of the wok, turning from time to time.
• Add the chili and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until fragrant, adding the soy sauce as you go; splash the vinegar around the side of the wok and mix well. Add the herbs and stir a few times; then, off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and serve.