Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

$

CA Boy and DC Girl may debate the merits of the Atlantic vs. Pacific, but they agree on one important point: seafood. This pair would gladly eat fish every day of the week - which would be great for their diet and terrible for their bank accounts. If you don’t want to spend $15.99 a pound on salmon, you have another option: tilapia. Or, as CA Boy affectionately calls it, “possum of the sea.” Like possum, this fish is short on meat and taste. But it can have a delicious texture, and will easily take on the flavor of any sauce.

While it may not have the taste or health benefits of other fish, tilapia (like possum) is a healthy source of protein. There was a time when DC Girl would sauté her tilapia, submerging it in a bath of tomato sauce until it became a kind of fish soup. But CA Boy soon taught her the error of her ways: give tilapia a nice crispy Parmesan crust, and that cheesy ectoskeleton will keep the fish from breaking apart while it cooks, and leaving you with a delectable filet.

Our favorite recipe is for Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, which CA Boy made for DC Girl and her roommate (who is, incidentally, a CA Girl) after a particularly busy day at work:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. 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.