Today I give you a dish inspired by the flavors of Mexico, utilizing cilantro, lime, garlic, tomatillos, and peppers. This dish makes for a wonderful presentation, with the yellow of the corn, the red and green of the peppers, and the nice golden-brown of the fish; it is sure to please the eye. This meal is packed full of flavor and healthy to boot. Serve with cold beer or margaritas and you’re in for a fun night.
Featured Ingredient: Tomatillo
Tomatillos are related to tomatoes. They are small, round, green fruit and have a greenish-brown papery husk covering them. When using tomatillos, first remove the husks; the husks will be somewhat sticky. Carefully wash the tomatillos, removing any dirt. Next cut the top off the tomatillos. Then use the tomatillos as needed. Tomatillos are a staple in Mexican cuisine and can be used in salsas, as well as in a variety of sauces. If you have not tried them, you really should.
Today I give you a tomatillo and beer sauce, served over tilapia. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
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Tilapia with Tomatillo Sauce and Avocados with Creamy Corn and Peppers
Print recipe| Serves | 4 |
| From book | Classic Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals |
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 tomatillos (chopped with juice)
- 4 fillets tilapia (1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds total)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 bottle pale beer
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 jalapeño (seeded and finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 red onion (chopped)
- 1 jalapeño (seeded and finely chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 4 ears fresh corn on the cob (husked)
- sprinkle sugar
- dash cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 avocados
- 1 lime
Directions
| Tilapia | |
| Step 1 | |
| Season tilapia on both sides with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet and sauté tilapia 3 minutes per side. Squeeze the juice of ½ a lime over the fish, and transfer to a warm serving platter. | |
| Tomatillo Sauce | |
| Step 2 | |
| Return skillet to the stove over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ red onion, 1 jalapeño, and garlic, and sauté, 2 minutes, then add tomatillos. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté, another 2 minutes. Add beer and the juice of ½ a lime, and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. | |
| Creamy Corn and Peppers | |
| Step 3 | |
| While the sauce is simmering, make the corn and peppers: Get a second skillet hot over medium heat. Add olive oil, ½ red onion, 1 jalapeño, and bell pepper and sauté, 3 minutes. Using a knife, cut the corn off the cob. Break up kernels and pour corn and its juices into the skillet. Season with sugar, cayenne, and salt. When mixture bubbles, reduce heat to a simmer. Cut butter into pieces, stir into corn mixture, and simmer until creamy, about 7 minutes. | |
| Avocados | |
| Step 4 | |
| Cut avocados in half lengthwise and remove pits. Squeeze lime juice over the avocados to keep them from browning and season with coarse salt. | |
| Serving | |
| Step 5 | |
| Add cilantro, to the tomatillo sauce and adjust salt and pepper. To serve, set ½ an avocado per person alongside a serving of fish topped with tomatillo sauce. Fill each avocado half with the creamy corn and peppers, allowing the corn to spill down and over the sides. The ripe avocado is spooned away from its skin with bites of creamy, warm corn and peppers. | |
