ROASTED TILAPIA

Tilapia is a common name for several freshwater fish species in the family Cichlidae, originally native to Africa and the Middle East but now farmed and found worldwide. They’re hardy, fast growing and adaptable, traits that make them one of the most widely farmed fish on the planet.

Quick facts:

  • Appearance: Generally laterally compressed (flattened side to side) with a silvery to grey or olive colour; size varies by species but most market fish are 20 - 35 cm long.

  • Taste and texture: Mild, slightly sweet flavour with a firm, flaky white flesh. It’s not fishy tasting, which makes it very versatile in the kitchen.

  • Diet: Omnivorous, they eat algae, plants, small invertebrates and commercial feed when farmed.

  • Culinary use: Amazingly forgiving, suitable for grilling, pan frying, baking, steaming and in stews or fish tacos. Because it’s mild, it takes on marinades and spices beautifully.

My recipe has a super easy spice mix that mixed the tart sumac, smoky spice of paprika and the sweetness of honey to give a well rounded coating that gets cooked into the scored flesh.

ROASTED TILAPIA

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ROASTED TILAPIA 〰️

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4, with sides

1 whole tilapia (gutted, scale and cleaned)

1 tbl sp paprika

1 tbl sumac

1 tbl sp honey

1 lemon (zest and then cut half the lemon into wheel slices)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

EVOO

Cracked black pepper

1 bunch parsley stalks

1 brown onion (thinly sliced)

Salt

Spring onion

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Score the fish by slicing racing lines vertically along the body, making sure to not cut all the way through, only partially. This will allow the marinade to penetrate.

In a small bowl add the paprika, sumac, honey, lemon zest, garlic, few cracks black pepper, pinch of salt and enough EVOO to just cover everything. Mix together thoroughly with a spoon. Rub the marinade thoroughly into the fish and the cut marks, making sure everything is deeply coloured with it.

Place fish in a tray on top of a couple of onion slices. Fill the cavity with more onion slices, lemon wheel slices from the zested lemon and the parsley stalks.

Chuck it in the oven and cook depending to size. Around 800gm - 1kg I cook for 20 minutes, and just raise the cooking time for anything larger. Try not to go over 30 minutes though.

Allow to rest for ten minutes and serve with a sprinkling of sea salt, leftover lemon juice, drizzle of EVOO and spring onion greens.