# tilapia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2007, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204 "2007-03-16T14:47:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/1 "2007-03-16T14:47:30Z")
It’s what’s for dinner. What do I do with it? I made it once before but for the life of me I can’t remember what I did with it. And there are a couple of recipes on the Fish Ricipe thread, but one is pretty simple (barring other ideas I might go with that) and one is too complex (feeling lazy today). Should I saute or bake? or something else? Is there a nice simple sauce I could put on in? Or failing that, what seasoning is good with it? All the ones I’ve run into include things I don’t have on hand. I don’t have all that much on hand. Or should I just do the saute with salt and pepper and lemon juice? Explain tilapia to me! Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/2 "2007-03-16T14:51:16Z")
I use tilapia for just about any recipe that calls for “fish fillets.” Here’s one of my favorites: 2 pounds fish fillets 1/2 cup French dressing 1+1/2 cups crushed cheese crackers 2 tablespoons margarine, melted. Dip fish into dressing and roll in cracker crumbs. Place on greased cookie sheet and drizzle margarine over fish. Bake at 500 degrees for 12 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/3 "2007-03-16T14:54:32Z")
[QUOTE=betenoir] And there are a couple of recipes on the Fish Ricipe thread, but one is pretty simple (barring other ideas I might go with that) and one is too complex (feeling lazy today). [/QUOTE] **Kat** reminded me of this recipe I posted in an earlier thread. It’s easy. 2 Tilapia fillets Chopped yellow onion Roma tomato, sliced and the slices cut in half Minced garlic Capers (a teaspoon or so) Olive oil Salt & pepper Heat the oil in a pan. Sauté the chopped onions with the garlic until translucent. Add the tomatoes, capers, salt and pepper. Add the tilapia fillets. Cook the fish until it’s done, turning once. Serve with the onions/tomatoes/capers on top. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/4 "2007-03-16T15:09:14Z")
Broiled Tilapia Parmesan 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons butter, softened 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon dried basil 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 pound tilapia fillets Preheat your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and salt. Mix well and set aside. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/5 "2007-03-16T15:09:59Z")
Rachael Ray has a really nice tilapia with tomatillo sauce recipe on the food network website. I think this [link](http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23762,00.html) will work, if not, go to [foodnetwork.com](http://foodnetwork.com) and search recipes for tilapia and tomatillo, it will be the only one. The side dish is nice too, though I do without the avocado component. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/6 "2007-03-16T15:10:41Z")
Fish tacos! We used to buy tilapia right out of the Niger River in Mali and just grill it like a steak on the BBQ, slathered with olive oil. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/7 "2007-03-16T15:15:02Z")
I once took some talapia filets, topped them each with a lemon slice, some parsely and dill, and a pat of butter, loosely sealed each one in a pocket of parchement paper, and baked for 10-12 minutes. It was very quick and easy, no dirty pans, and tasted great. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/8 "2007-03-16T15:38:52Z")
I’ve had tilapia twice. Once it tasted okay, like red snapper, and once it tasted icky, like dirt or algae. I assumed this was because it was pond-raised. What have your experiences been? Has it mostly tasted good? If so, I may start buying it again. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/9 "2007-03-16T15:46:15Z")
TILAPIA IN PARMESAN HERB CRUST 4 tilapia fillets (About 6 oz each) ½ C fresh bread crumbs 2 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 T chopped fresh parsley ½ t herbs de Provence 1 garlic clove, finely chopped Pinch of freshly ground pepper 1 T extra virgin olive oil, divided. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13” baking dish. Arrange the filets in the dish, folding the thin ends of each fillet under to meet in the center, to make triple-thick packets. Mix the bread crumbs Parmesan, parsley, herbs de Provence, garlic and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in 2 t of the oil to moisten. Spread evenly on the tops of the fillets. Drizzle the crumbs with remaining t oil. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the fish looks opaque when flaked in the center with the top of a sharp knife, about 15 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4 I also make exactly it like **Skammer** said, but I add a slice of onion, and some chopped garlic (and I used foil - I was out of parchment.) ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/10 "2007-03-16T15:59:03Z")
This is an adapted Jamie Oliver recipe that I make all the time, that works great with any light flaky fish. Lay out your tilapis fillets in a baking dish. Cover with fresh basil leaves, and halved cherry tomatoes. Top with a thick slice of mozzarella. Shred parmesan liberally over everything Sprinkle salt and pepper Drizzle heavily with olive oil Bake for 20 minutes at 400 deg. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare, and tastes amazing 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/11 "2007-03-16T16:22:58Z")
I’ve been seeing frozen tilapia a lot more often at the supermarket, and often quite cheap. Is it the new “cool” fish with a marketing push behind it, or is it particularly healthy, or what? I’ve been tempted to pick some up, and maybe I’ll try these recipes. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/12 "2007-03-16T18:51:10Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] I’ve been seeing frozen tilapia a lot more often at the supermarket, and often quite cheap. Is it the new “cool” fish with a marketing push behind it, or is it particularly healthy, or what? I’ve been tempted to pick some up, and maybe I’ll try these recipes. [/QUOTE] The answer is that is a “green fish”, not only because it is a fish that grows on a vegetarian diet, but also because it is the favorite of fish farms so there is no concern with overfishing like with other kinds of fish. It has been so successful and tasty that unscrupulous fish catchers go to the extreme of selling “bad choice” fish as Tilapia! [http://www.alternet.org/story/48230](http://www.alternet.org/story/48230) > [@](#): > > I recently read the Whitefish Handbook of Ecuador, a book that describes the fish Ecuador markets for export. On the page dedicated to South Pacific hake, the writer divulged that hake filets are marketed and sold as flounder, weakfish and tilapia. Hake sold as tilapia? > > You know tilapia – it is one fish everyone agrees is sustainable not least because it’s farmed and grows on a vegetarian diet (so it does not require fish in its feed). Tilapia is included in the “best choices” column on seafood wallet cards, which indicate the best and worst species to eat. For years, environmental and health organizations have stressed the benefits of tilapia, and it shows. Indeed, it was recently called “the world’s most popular fish.” The demand for tilapia is growing – in the U.S. alone, it has moved up from ninth most consumed fish in 2003 to sixth in 2004. So it might not come as a surprise that there are now tilapia impostors, like this hake. > > Pacific hake is a carnivorous fish caught in the open ocean by industrial fishing vessels trailing longlines that accidentally snag turtles, sharks and seabirds. Hake is a far cry from tilapia, but your taste buds can’t tell. > > And hake isn’t the only impostor. Many seafood species, after being renamed or mislabelled, masquerade in the market as eco-friendlier or tastier or more appetizing versions of their former selves. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/13 "2007-03-16T19:08:30Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] I’ve had tilapia twice. Once it tasted okay, like red snapper, and once it tasted icky, like dirt or algae. I assumed this was because it was pond-raised. What have your experiences been? Has it mostly tasted good? If so, I may start buying it again. [/QUOTE] For me it’s been a crapshoot. And you are probably right that the taste comes from how the fish was raised. I’ve heard that they need to be moved to a cleaning pond during their final days and if they aren’t, then they taste ‘muddy.’ The flesh is actually really bland, so I can see how even a slight off-flavor can be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/14 "2007-03-16T21:38:11Z")
Tilapia? 😕 You mean that fish that lives in the river that is nie unkillable? :dubious: You mean that fish that lives in the river that is is omnivorous and eats garbage? :rolleyes: You mean people eat these river rats? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/15 "2007-03-16T22:31:56Z")
[QUOTE=ouryL] Tilapia? 😕 You mean that fish that lives in the river that is nie unkillable? :dubious: You mean that fish that lives in the river that is is omnivorous and eats garbage? :rolleyes: You mean people eat these river rats? :eek: [/QUOTE] Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/16 "2007-03-16T22:46:44Z")
Don’t know, but I had 3 of them for lunch today, baked, with a drizzle of lemon juice, along with Spanatakopia and Greek green beans - at “What’s Cookin’?” ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/17 "2007-03-16T23:13:09Z")
[QUOTE=ouryL] You mean people eat these river rats? :eek: [/QUOTE] I had the same thought. But seeing these recipes, I guess you really can get a decent dinner from the Ala Wai Canal. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/18 "2007-03-16T23:50:29Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] I’ve been seeing frozen tilapia a lot more often at the supermarket, and often quite cheap. Is it the new “cool” fish with a marketing push behind it, or is it particularly healthy, or what? I’ve been tempted to pick some up, and maybe I’ll try these recipes. [/QUOTE] I was wondering the same thing. Before a couple years ago, I don’t think I’d heard of tilapia. Nowadays, the darned things are everywhere. The few times I’ve tried it, I’ve found it meh, and a little soapy-tasting (or something), so I don’t see what the big deal is. I figured it was just the latest culinary fad. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/19 "2007-03-16T23:53:24Z")
It tastes good (I’ve never had any of the ‘muddy’ tasting ones), and it’s cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204/20 "2007-03-17T03:23:44Z")
[QUOTE=AudreyK] I had the same thought. But seeing these recipes, I guess you really can get a decent dinner from the Ala Wai Canal. 😛 [/QUOTE] _shudders_ You know, I never encountered anyone who actually ate anything they managed to catch from the canal. Perhaps there is an obvious reason for this. 😉 (For those who don’t know: the Ala Wai canal helps keep Waikiki from becoming a swampy area again, and serves as the receptacle for local streams, storm drains, and assorted run off. I know they’ve made attempts with varying degrees of success to clean it up, but when I was a kama’aina you went into that water at your peril!) And yes, this is the reason why I always inwardly cringe a bit at seeing tilapia on a menu, and find it hard to enjoy this fish. I just think of the fact that this fish can live in the Ala Wai and blurrrrg. Ruins the moment. * * * \<\< I have NOT lost my mind. It’s backed up on the server. (And the network is down again…) \>\> [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tilapia/396204.md?page=2)