Pan Seared Tilapia with Chile Lime Butter

[jamauk]

I made a few modifications, but this is the original recipe! Enjoy!
I found this at www.epicurious.com


For chile lime butter
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh Thai or serrano chile (preferably red), including seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
For fish
6 (5- to 6-oz) pieces skinless tilapia fillet or farm-raised striped bass fillets with skin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


Make chile lime butter:
Stir together butter, shallot, zest, lime juice, chile, and salt in a bowl.
Prepare fish:
If using striped bass, score skin in 3 or 4 places with a thin sharp knife to prevent fish from curling (do not cut through flesh). Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until just smoking, then sautÈ 3 pieces of fish, turning over once with a spatula, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, and transfer to a plate. SautÈ remaining fish in remaining tablespoon oil in same manner.

Serve each piece of fish with a dollop of chile lime butter.

Cooks' note:
• Chile lime butter can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.

Makes 6 servings.


Gourmet

July 2003

Gourmet Entertains

[Kristie]

so what were the modifications you made?

[jamauk]

first, I sauteed the lime zest, shallot, and chile's in a little bit of oil for about 2-3 minutes. Then I added the lime juice for about another minute. Then I added all of that to the butter and mixed it well and refrigerated it. When it was time to make the fish, I sauteed it in the butter instead of oil.

BTW....tilapia is a "mild" fish, so Doug should enjoy it! Other mild fish that I LOVE are: Halibut (my favorite), orange roughy, sea bass. I can't think of any others right now, but if I do, I'll let ya know!

[aalmiss]

[quote:98f35ccbad]
Other mild fish that I LOVE are: Halibut (my favorite), orange roughy, sea bass
[/quote:98f35ccbad]
Jessica,
I use to LOVE sea bass, but when we were on a cruise in 2002 I had it for dinner one night on the ship. I started feeling bad before we ordered dessert. I decided not to have dessert but told Jim to go ahead. I suddenly started feeling so sick that we had to leave before his dessert came. I still don't know if it was the sea bass or I was sea sick. I just know that I haven't eaten sea bass since then. I know it's psychological. :mrgreen:

Dianne

[jamauk]

That's a shame, Dianne!

Blackend Chilean Sea Bass is one of my FAVORITE meals ever!!!!

[roz]

Just remember, Chilean Sea Bass is on the road to extinction because we're over fishing it!

http://www.wholefoods.com/issues/seabass.html

http://environet.policy.net/marine/csb/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...2_seabass.html

[jamauk]

I know and that is so sad....that is why I don't have it often (its been about 1 1/2 years since my last one)....but I do like to treat myself occasionally.