On one of my quick trips, I wanted some fish. I usually go for shrimp or salmon, but thought I'd try something new. Tilapia was on sale. Sweet! $3.50 for two fillets! Done! Having never made tilapia before, I perused through some of my bibles and found a recipe that sounded cheap, easy, and tasty. Everything a mom could dream of, all in one. Lani and I love Rachael Ray (and so does my dad...but that's a story for a different day...haha!). But seriously, what's not to love?! Quick, cheap, tasty meals that you can usually complete while your munchkins are occupied with a single episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. If I have the forethought, I do some of the prep work in the afternoon while Will is playing or sleeping. Crying while I chop onions and other veggies is much easier to do uninterrupted. Then I just put them in the fridge until around 5:30pm when I start dinner. My 30 minute meal just went down to 20 minutes.
Rachael Ray's Tilapia with Balsamic Browned Butter and Creamy Farfalle with Bacon, Tomato and Peas
Ingredients
- Salt
- 1 pound farfalle, bow ties
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
- 5 slices center cut bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2-3 grated garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 can San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz)
- 4 tilapia fillets (6-8-ounces each)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 box frozen peas (10 ounces)
- 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded or torn
Preparation
Heat a pot of water to a boil, salt the water and cook pasta to al dente.
Heat a deep large skillet with 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and crisp 3-4 minutes. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender but not browned, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, crush them up with a wooden spoon and simmer 15 minutes on low heat.
Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dust fish with flour and shake off excess.
Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook fish 4 minutes on each side.
While fish cooks, stir peas into sauce, return to bubble and stir in mascarpone cheese. Adjust seasoning.
Remove fish from skillet to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to pan. Brown butter, 2-3 minutes, stir in balsamic and simmer 1-2 minutes to reduce by half. Pour the brown butter and vinegar over fish.
Drain pasta, toss with sauce and wilt basil into pasta.
Serve fish with pasta alongside.
Heat a pot of water to a boil, salt the water and cook pasta to al dente.
Heat a deep large skillet with 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and crisp 3-4 minutes. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender but not browned, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, crush them up with a wooden spoon and simmer 15 minutes on low heat.
Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dust fish with flour and shake off excess.
Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook fish 4 minutes on each side.
While fish cooks, stir peas into sauce, return to bubble and stir in mascarpone cheese. Adjust seasoning.
Remove fish from skillet to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to pan. Brown butter, 2-3 minutes, stir in balsamic and simmer 1-2 minutes to reduce by half. Pour the brown butter and vinegar over fish.
Drain pasta, toss with sauce and wilt basil into pasta.
Serve fish with pasta alongside.
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