I am really excited to share this pan fried tilapia recipe with you.

It is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe I found on MyRecipes.com

The cooking method in the original recipe is “sauté,” but my version uses more oil and butter.  Thank you very much.

I’m just going to call it “pan fried.”

I’m not afraid of the fry and you shouldn’t be either.

This dish is fantastic!

The green peppercorn sauce and fresh lemon perfectly highlight this mild fish.

The people in this area of Italy eat a lot of fish, shellfish, muscles, clams, etc.

When we first moved into our house last September, the fishmonger would drive through the neighborhood a couple times a week, always stopping and ringing the buzzer at my gate.

I would wave him off at first, but eventually I went outside to explain to him that I really didn’t cook fish at home.

Was it my imagination or did I see a little tear escape from the corner of his eye?

He didn’t understand.  How can it be that I don’t cook fish at home?  He thought that meant I didn’t cook at all.

“I cook.  I cook a lot,” I assured him.  “I just don’t cook fish,” I explained.

He finally understood.  He hasn’t been back.

For the most part, that’s true.  We are not extremely adventurous when it comes to fish.

Jeff tells me as a boy his Norwegian grandmother used to serve “chicken patties” to Jeff and his siblings.

Turns out those “chicken patties” were actually fish patties.

So Jeff’s “distrust” of fish has had many years to solidify!

If you are distrustful and not so adventurous when it comes to fish, you owe it to yourself to find your faith and give this pan fried tilapia a try.

Don’t hold back on the butter!

The butter, the lemon, the peppercorns all play really well together.

Enjoy!

Pan Fried Tilapia with Green Peppercorns

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Serves	4
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Meal type	Main Dish
Slightly adapted from recipe on	Cooking Light - My Recipes.com

Pan fried tilapia cooks quickly in a tasty mixture of olive oil and butter and is highlighted by a tasty chicken broth based sauce with green peppercorns

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 4- 6 Ounce tilapia fillets
• 1/4 Cup cornstarch (just enough to give the tilapia a good dusting!)
• 1 Cup chicken broth
• 1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon green peppercorns in brine (drained and slightly crushed)
• salt and pepper to taste

Optional

• lemon wedges for serving

Note

This recipe for Pan Fried Tilapia was inspired by a Cooking Light recipe I found on MyRecipes.com.  Sorry, Cooking Light, but I felt compelled to increase the butter because I don't know how anyone can cook with only 2 teaspoons of butter!  I also chose to use cornstarch to coat the fillets instead of flour.  I was please with the crispiness and also with the way the cornstarch helped to thicken the sauce.  This pan fried tilapia is a very light-tasting dish.  The butter can be reduced if you are looking to cut fat, but I think the butter adds so much flavor to this dish.  Pan fried tilapia goes really well with brown rice and a nice, green vegetable.

I hope you enjoy this Pan Fried Tilapia!  - The Recipe Wench

Directions

Step 1

In non-stick skillet, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. While this is heating, season fillets with a little salt and pepper. Give the fillets a nice dusting of cornstarch -- use your hands to pat the cornstarch so it stays on the fillets. Add fillets to the skillet and brown for approximately 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. Remove fillets to plate.

Step 2

Add broth, lemon juice and peppercorns to pan. Bring sauce to a boil and cook for about 3-4 minutes until reduced. Remove from heat. Whisk in remaining butter. Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce over fillets. Garnish with lemon wedges.