TILAPIA AND QUINOA WITH CUCUMBERS AND FETA
I was nervous about this one because the only fish I’ve ever made was tuna from a can. Jon commented that we never eat fish, and since I started this project it would be neat to try it out.
It was surprisingly easy and non-intimidating once I got started. The biggest issue I’m facing is timing. The quinoa takes about 20 minutes, and the fish much less than that. I run into this a lot and always have to make the decision of which piece of the meal should I sacrifice to get cold while the rest is finishing up. But I was pretty happy with how I timed everything - the only issue I had was the zucchini. According to the recipe it was supposed to take about 4 minutes. I’m guessing I didn’t cut it into small enough chunks, because it took mine about 12 minutes, but that included over-cooking it. Maybe the medium-high on my stove isn’t as hot as Martha Stewart’s medium-high…
OVERALL RESULT:
I’d say it was a success despite the over-cooked zucchini. The fish had a good amount of flavor, and the quinoa was awesome. I thought it would make a really good cold salad, and I was right when I ate the leftover the next day. Jon liked the quinoa, and then said the fish wasn’t too bad, but he “doesn’t really like fish anyway.” To which I replied, “But you suggested I make fish.” To which he replied, “I know.”
RECIPE:
1 cup quinoa
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, divided into 8 pieces
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1 cup English cucumber (6 ounces), diced small
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup feta (1 1/2 ounces), crumbled
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
In a small saucepan, bring quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil over high. Reduce to a medium simmer and cook until water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Pat fish dry and season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with paprika. Cook fillets until opaque throughout, about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Stir cucumber, dill, feta, 1 teaspoon oil, and lemon juice into quinoa. Season with salt and pepper. Divide quinoa among four plates and top with fish.
ACCOUTREMENTS:
SIDES: Zucchini with Lemon and Thyme, Brown Rice
