BAKED FRESH WHOLE TILAPIA #RSC

Baked Fresh Whole Tilapia #RSC image

Ready, Set, Cook! Reynolds Wrap Contest Entry. Tilapia is a fine fish, delicious, healthy and reasonable. If you agree with that, then you should try fresh, live swimming tilapia, it is simply heavenly. In high-end restaurants, Tilapia is typically served whole and filleted in the dinning room in front of the patrons. I decided to do the same. There is a store where live fish can be bought here in NYC. I choose red Tilapia because the color has more plate appeal. Tilapia has a sweet earthy flavor and mild and a firm, flaky texture. However, the earthy flavor can taste muddy to some. This recipe is designed to transform this earthy flavor into something that is subtlety gracious. The heavy duty non-stick Reynolds wrap is to create a cooking environment that will cook the fish quickly at very high heat, at the same time giving a little smoky flavor and making the skin very crispy. BTW, each 16 oz of whole tilapia is 5 oz of meat after filleted. The plating of this dish shows one serving.

Provided by dcarch7777

Categories < 4 Hours

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 24

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Ingredients

4 whole tilapia
4 tablespoons lemon juice
16 slices lemons, rings
4 tablespoons lemon rind
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons bacon fat
4 artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup grated monterey jack cheese
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3/4 cup candace grape juice
1/4 cup concord grape juice
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 large red bell peppers
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon ground pepper
6 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 lb yard-long beans
4 sheets heavy duty non-stick Reynolds Wrap Foil

Steps:

Directions - Tilapias (already scaled and dressed).
Wrinkle the 4 sheets of heavy duty non-stick Reynolds aluminum foil to facilitate flavor distribution, coat each with EVOO with brush.
Spread lemon rind, thyme on foils.
Coat each Tilapia with bacon fat, sprinkle salt, paprika, ground pepper and fish sauce. Score the fish (see photos).
Wrap each fish in its own foil pouch. Puncture pouch with a few hole for steam venting.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place pouches in oven for 15 minutes. Open pouches immediately so that the fish skin will remain crispy.
Directions - two sauces, each to be enjoyed by guest separately or combined.
Collect juices from the pouches, and discard thyme sprigs and charred lemon rind.
Mix heavy cream, garlic, chopped onion, artichoke hearts, sea salt and wine use a hand blender to blend all into a sauce.
Simmer the above for 10 minutes and divide into two parts.
Roast bell peppers, remove seeds and add to sauce part one. Add Paprika and concord grape juice.
Blend above with hand blender until smooth and simmer for 10 minutes.
Mix lemon juice, brown sugar, Candace Grape juice, and Monterrey Jack cheese.
Blend above with hand blender until smooth and simmer for 10 minutes.
Plate everything as per suggested photos on steamed Yard-Long String beans.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 664.1, Fat 30.6, SaturatedFat 11.8, Cholesterol 53.3, Sodium 4375.9, Carbohydrate 78.5, Fiber 20.9, Sugar 19.9, Protein 24.1