Almond-Crusted Tilapia on Bed of Leeks

Yes, please believe this will be the godliest fish you will ever taste.  I’m not the biggest fish fan out there but I do enjoy a mild-tasting fillet every once in a while.  Tilapia is definitely my favorite kind of fish and I ended up buying a big bag of fillets at the store, not quite sure what to do with them.  I found this recipe, changed it a bit, and this was the result.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Almond-Crusted Tilapia:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon pepper (I used Mrs. Dash)
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (or garlic salt)
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup of ground almonds
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
• a couple springs of fresh parsley
• 1 lemon
  

  Garnishes

Leeks:

• 1 leek
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash your leek, cut into fourths (length-wise) and chop into long strips.
2. Soak in a pot of water with a tablespoon of salt (or as much salt as it takes for the water to “taste like the ocean”) for 2 hours; set aside.
   

   Juilenned leeks soaking in salt water

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Beat the egg with the lemon pepper and garlic powder until blended; set aside.
5. Stir together ground almonds with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish until combined; set aside.
   

   Flour, egg, and almond crust

6. Dust the tilapia fillets with flour, and shake off excess. Dip the tilapia in egg, then press into the almond mixture.
   

   Before baking

7. Lay fillets on a greased baking sheet and put in the oven uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. While fillets are in the oven, heat up the 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add the leeks, sauteing them for around 3-5 minutes, or until limp.  Place the leeks on a serving dish and arrange them so they lie flat.
9. Place fillets on top of the leeks.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese on top of the fillets,  garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a lemon wedge (squeezing some lemon juice on the fillets is a must – it really brings out the flavor).
   

   The final product! Yum

   I served the fish with steamed carrots and yellow squash with wild rice cooked with chicken stock.  It was a delectable meal and easy to make!  Also, for dessert I blended frozen bananas and a 1/2 cup of chai, put it in the freezer and served it as an ice cream/sorbet.

Original recipe found here.