So as I admitted earlier this week, I missed posting my Simple Sunday recipe, and promised it later this week. Well here it is...
This recipe actually come from my dad. He used to always go wade fishing in the Gulf and would bring home fresh red fish. As a kid, I didn't really love this recipe. I think it had too much flavor and it was too goopy. As I have grown up a bit, I have learned to absolutely love this recipe!
You start out with simple fish. I will typically leave the skin on one side.
Basically, just salt and pepper the fish (not the skin), spread light mayo(2 tbsp per 3oz fish) across the top, and sprinkle with lemon pepper to taste.
You can either bake or grill these yummy fish!
The Facts for 3oz Fish:
Calories: 201
Fat: 13.9 g
Sodium: 303 mg
Fiber: 0
Creamy LP Fish
Fish
Light Mayo
Lemon Pepper
Salt Substitute
Pepper
Season the fish with salt and pepper, skin side down. Evenly spread mayo over the seasoning. Sprinkle lemon pepper to taste. Bake or grill fish until thoroughly cooked. Enjoy!
Tilapia is a light fish that is great alternative for people that don’t really like fishy-fish (like salmon). It has a pretty mild flavor and doesn’t have an overwhelming fish aroma. I thought Paula Deen’s recipe for a Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise would be a great place to start since it’s already a pretty like-able fish and the recipe wasn’t really that unhealthy (i.e. less work for me!).
The only thing I did to the Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise was switch to a light mayo and cut the amount in half. I whipped it up and left it in the fridge to chill while I worked on the tilapia.
I combined all the spices (omitting the salt) and rinsed off the tilapia filets. The original recipe dips the filets in melted butter before coating in the seasonings, but I chose to use a beaten egg white instead. This adds a little bit of protein and cuts a lot of fat. You could also use a melted tub margarine, which would at least reduce the amount of saturated fat.
After I put the first fillet in the pan, I glanced at the recipe and realized I had completely forgotten to get the Mango Salsa. D’oh! I’d already passed the point of no return with this recipe, so I decided to just keep going and vowed to read my recipes more carefully next time.
While the fillets were cooking, I toasted up a couple of whole wheat sandwich thins. This cuts calories and adds a little bit more fiber than using a Kaiser roll. I smeared some of the lightened Cilantro Lime Mayo on each side, added some lettuce and topped it with the tilapia.
Ta-da!
When I presented my BF with his plate, his response was, “So.... is this supposed to be burnt?” I guess he's unfamiliar with the 'blackened' concept. But he ate it, so I guess he didn’t think it was that bad.
So, what’s the verdict? I liked the tilapia, but I think it was good enough to stand alone. I didn’t really care for it as a sandwich. So the bottom line is I’d make it again, but serve it as a filet of fish, not between two slices of bread. And remember to buy the Mango Salsa.
Here's the nutritional stats, assuming that each sandwich is served with 1/4 of the total Cilantro Lime Mayo and 2 tbsp of mango salsa.
Combine the spices in a shallow bowl and set aside. Beat egg white in a separate bowl. Dip the fillets in the egg whites and then coat in seasonings. Cook in a cast iron skillet coated with cooking spray until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 3-4 minutes per side. Place on sandwich thins, coated with Cilantro Lime Mayo, and top with lettuce.
Cilantro Lime Mayo
1/2 c light mayo
1/4 c freshly chopped cilantro
1 tbsp lime juice
