That’s what I’m all about right now. What can I make that will taste great with as little effort as possible? I’m still waiting for my energy to return, so until that happens, I’m all about ease. Last night’s dinner was just such a creature.
I pulled a package of tilapia out of the freezer to begin with and got that defrosting. How to prepare it though, that was the question of the day. I thought briefly about pan-frying, followed by baking it in some kind of coating. I made my way to the deep freeze to see what I had in there to inspire, and believe me, I was inspired. I pulled out a tiny half-cup container of last fall’s pesto, and I had my dinner. Have you ever frozen pesto? Oh. My. Goodness. This was the first year I ever had enough basil to make pesto, and also the first time I froze any for later use. Every time I pull out one of those tiny containers I am instantly transported back to warmer days. Pulling off the top of that container is pure heaven- the aroma that instantly fills the room is practically intoxicating.
The treatment was beyond simple. I began by slicing four small tomatoes that were very ripe and needed to go away. I placed the tomato slices in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, and then laid my tilapia on top of the tomatoes. Both sides of the fish were liberally brushed with the pesto before popping into a 350ºF oven for 10-15 minutes. That was it. I served the tilapia with some very simple pea and bacon pasta, and I daresay the tilapia was very, very good. The earthy pesto was a perfect compliment to the fish, and every once in a while you would get a bite with a roasted bit of tomato and the dish would sing. It couldn’t have been easier, and it will definitely be repeated. You could certainly use bottle pesto if you don’t have fresh, but check it for seasoning, as you may need to add a sprinkle of salt to the fish as well.
Pesto Tilapia
- 4 small, very ripe tomatoes
- 1 pound tilapia fillets
- 4 tablespoons prepared pesto
- salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices and lay them in the bottom of the pan. Brush both sides of the tilapia with the pesto and lay on top of the sliced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.