Tilapia with Herbs and Lime

I've only had tilapia once in my life until tonight. The first time was at a Mexican restaurant - a whole fish filleted and either deep fried or grilled with a batter than created a crisp brown crust. Although it tasted quite good, I was sick all night. Not sure if it was the fish or something else, but I've been reticent to eat it again, until now.

This time, we bought tilapia at our favorite seafood market. I prepared it in my own kitchen following the recipe in Raman Prasad's Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet on page 128. This recipe is extremely simple (5 minutes to prepare) and the cook time is between 10-15 minutes. Because this fish is soft, overcooking will cause it to break apart and be tough, but cooked right, it is succulent and tender to the point of melting in your mouth. Gently lift from the pan with a wide spatula.

Tilapia is mild flavored. Herb seasonings and lime bring out the delicate flavor of the fish. An excellent choice for a light home-cooked meal.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound tilapia fillets
1/2 lime, juiced

Directions:

1. Rinse and pat dry the tilapia.
   
2. Mix together the dry ingredients.
   
3. In a stovetop frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.
4. Sprinkle the dry mixture on both sides of the fillets.
5. Place the tilapia in the hot pan and cook for a total of 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through.
6. After you place the fish on the dinner plate, sprinkle each fillet with some of the fresh lime juice. Serve with a dollop of mango salsa.

Serves 2

Learn about tilapia at Seafood Watch.