Dear Sweet Potato,
I can’t imagine farm-raised tilapia are all that great for us in the long run, but given the alternatives, this is an easy, quick, healthish meal that requires almost no prep and is great for dads who can’t cook. Like me.
Now, to be fair, as of the time of this letter, you’ve never eaten this, but since we both have similar taste buds, I figure it’s worth the post because you might like it one day and you’ll see me eat it all the time too.
For this recipe, I’m going to make two filets, and you can adjust the recipe as needed for yourself.
Here’s all the things you’ll need:
Ingredients
2 Tilapia filets (frozen)
Blackening seasoning
Small block of butter
Small lemon
Black pepper
Supplies
Baking pan
Cooking spray
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Small microwavable bowl
Quick Instructions
Bake frozen tilapia filets for 15 minutes at 425. Season to taste before and after baking.
Detailed Instructions
Set oven to bake at 425 and allow to warm up while prepping food. You’ll probably be done with prep before the oven is ready.
Spray your baking pan with cooking spray to cover enough area for your filets.
Cut the filets out of their frozen shrink wrap and place them side by side on the pan, leaving a an inch or two between them.
Sprinkle blackening seasoning over the filets. I like a lot of seasoning so I’m pretty generous with it.
Once the oven is warmed up, you’ll place your prepped fish in the oven for 15 minutes.
While the fish is cooking, you can prepare your lemon butter sauce if you want some. This is optional but I’ve found that I like the combination of lemon butter sauce and blacken seasoning.
Take your small block of butter and put it in a microwavable bowl. On my microwave, it takes about 20-25 seconds to completely melt.
Melt the butter.
Take your whole lemon and cut it in to quarters. Then squeeze the lemon juice out of the lemons into the butter, making sure to remove any seeds that drop in.
Sprinkle lemon butter with black pepper and stir. Depending on how fast you make this, the butter may start to harden again before serving. If this happens, 10 seconds in the microwave again will do the trick.
Once your tilapia has cooked for 15 minutes, it will almost certainly be done.
Remove it from the oven, and check to make sure it’s flaky. It will be. I’ve never had it turn out wrong at 15 minutes.
Move your tilapia to a plate and drizzle with lemon better sauce to your liking, or not. Either way it will be good.
And here’s what it looks like when you’ve had your first bite as you sit down to write a letter to your daughter about the fish you just cooked.
Yum. Enjoy!
I hope you find this as delicious as I do. Easy 15 minute meal.
I love you sweet girl.
Love,
Daddy
P.S. Why is the sea so strong? Because it has a lot of mussels!
(This joke was submitted for you by my friend Cindy Broeker).
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