I grew up in the south, so I ate A LOT of fish as a kid. Though very few were prepared with anything but cornmeal and hot oil. My dad loved to fish, so many a meal came from whatever he dragged home in a cooler. So having spent my childhood sometimes living off of fried fish, I was not too impressed with my first experience with fish of the non-fried variety. The overwhelmingly “fishy” taste was a bit much for me. I prefered the taste of fried cornmeal!
As I grew up and was looking for healthy dishes to prepare for my family, I decided to give fish another try. So I went to the supermarket, and purchased a beautiful piece of salmon. Big mistake! Don’t get me wrong, I love salmon now. But for a new-comer to baked or grilled fish, salmon was a bit overpowering. The only salmon I’d eaten before then came out of a can, and was formed into patties and then, you guessed it, FRIED! So once again I was leary of fish.
But being the persistent person that I am, I wouldn’t give up. I was determined to find a fish that wasn’t too fishy, so that I could prepare a healthy meal for my family. That’s when I found it. That lovely, white fish with a very subtle, yet delicious flavor. Tilapia–my new best, fishy friend. I found that I could prepare it in the most simple ways, and it turned out great every time. My favorite way to prepare it was drizzle it with a little olive oil, sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and then cook it on a grill pan. In five minutes it was ready.
So now on hot summer days, when I want something healthy and light that I can prepare quickly, I go straight to my friend the Tilapia. Paired with roasted asparagus and wild rice, you can’t go wrong.
