Pan Fried Tilapia with Edamame Succotash

Welcome to my first ever fish fry! This recipe represents a big milestone in my slowly growing culinary repertoire, as it’s the first time I’ve ever attempted to cook fish. And I’m proud to report that with Sandra Lee’s help, it turned out to be a great success.

I stuck to the basics with this recipe because it seemed to be both easy on my culinary skill set and on my wallet. Sandra Lee, host of Food Network’s Money Saving Meals, serves up her Pan Fried Tilapia with sauteed edamame, but I decided to take her side dish a step further and toss in yellow corn for a simple succotash. I made four generous servings of fish and a seasonal side with a grocery bill of just $22.97 … in New York City. Sayonara Filet-O-Fish.

Shopping List

For the Pan Fried Tilapia:

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1½ pounds fresh tilapia fillets
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

For the Edamame Succotash:

• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (10-oz.) bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• 1 (10-oz.) bag frozen yellow corn, thawed (or substitute fresh)

Recipe

Makes 4 servings Pan Fried Tilapia and 4 servings Edamame Succotash.

For the Pan Fried Tilapia:

Preheat the oven to 300º F.

Combine the flour, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish.

Light coat each side of the tilapia with the flour mixture.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Shake off excess flour from tilapia and place it in the skillet. Pan fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Place the pan fried tilapia on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and keep it warm in the oven while you prepare the sauce.

To prepare the sauce, reduce the heat to low and add the butter to the pan the tilapia was cooked in.

Once melted, add the garlic, lemon juice and parsley. Saute for 2 minutes.

Place the fillets on a serving dish and top with sauce. Serve with Edamame Succotash (recipe below).

For the Edamame Succotash:

Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add the edamame and the corn and saute for 4 minutes until the ingredients are heated through and the onions are translucent.

Serve with Pan Fried Tilapia or your favorite main dish.