Tilapia Piccata

If you’re a hockey fan, I really, really hope you were able to watch the Bruins game last night. It was epic, easily one of the best hockey games I’ve ever seen. And I’m not just saying that because I’m a huge Bruins fan; it would have been equally as awesome no matter which teams were playing. Having the Bruins involved just made it about a million times more stressful for me. Down 3 goals they mounted a huge comeback late in the 3rd period to send it to overtime, where they scored the game winner! Shane was already in bed, but I’m pretty sure he wasn’t able to sleep through my celebratory screams…

I didn’t get much sleep either last night, the adrenaline high kept me up for several hours. Totally worth it 🙂 I’d like to say there’s a nap in my future, but since we’re leaving for our trip to Florida in just a few days(!), I have to power through and start checking things off my to-do list. It’s shaping up to be a crazy, exciting week!

Luckily, when I planned our meals for the week, I knew we’d be busy so I kept things really simple. Among the dishes on our menu is this tilapia piccata, which is a new addition to our weeknight rotation. Setting aside salt and pepper, there are only 6 ingredients required to make this meal and it can be thrown together in under 15 minutes. Tilapia is dredged in flour, quickly sautéed and then a really simple pan sauce is made with butter, wine (or vermouth, in my case), lemon juice, and capers. Fresh, flavorful and fast – there’s not much not to like here. The recipe does include more butter than I’ve been cooking with lately but it still only clocks in at just over 200 calories per serving so I have no problem enjoying it a few times a month.

Oh, and apologies for the so-so pics – I was chasing the light when I photographed this, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from sharing with you 🙂

Tilapia Piccata
just barely adapted from Cooking Light, March 2007

{Note: the pan sauce has a strong lemon flavor, which we enjoyed, but feel free to use slightly lemon juice if you prefer something slightly more mild.}

4 (6 oz) tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon drained capers

In a wide, shallow dish, stir together the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the fish in this flour mixture, coating both sides lightly. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to a large nonstick skillet and set over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add the fish. Cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes on each side, or until the fish is browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove the fish to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add the vermouth, lemon juice, and capers to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir until melted and combined. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve.