New Recipe of the Week

Whole Grain Spaghetti and Seared Tilapia 
with Garlic, Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers and Toasted Panko

This was a quick, spur of the moment dinner that came together as a result of me being too lazy to go to the market, and trying to eliminate what we had leftover in the fridge from the holidays. The results were a fresh, surprising delight!

Make sure you don't eliminate the toasted panko at the end. Really! The texture and taste really add that extra special something to both the pasta and the fish. 
(*This is a Mario Batali tip that I have to pass on!)

Also, the pasta is delicious in its own right, so don't feel like you have to add the tilapia, or you could substitute another seafood/shellfish/fish if you prefer a different flavor. I suspect that seared scallops or shrimp would both be great substitutes.

Ingredients:

1/2 Box Whole Grain Spaghetti

2 Tilapia Fillets

1 Cup Reserved pasta water

6 Cloves of Garlic, Sliced or Chopped

1/2 Bag of Fresh Baby Spinach

2 Red Peppers, Roasted, Peeled and Sliced (or two jarred roasted red peppers, sliced)

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Split in 1/2

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Kosher Salt + Cracked Black Pepper
Optional: 1 tsp +- of crushed red pepper

2 Cups of Panko 

Lemon

1/4 Cup White Wine

Romano Cheese

Steps:

1. Cook pasta in Salted Water until al dente

2. Simultaneously season the Tilapia fillets with Salt and Pepper and Sear them in olive oil. Drizzle with lemon juice.

3. In a separate pan, melt 1/2 a stick of butter, add garlic, salt and pepper and cook until fragrant; make sure not to burn the garlic! Add crushed red pepper.

4. Add white wine, the juice of 1/2 lemon to butter/garlic mix. Stir and adjust flavors if needed.

5.. Drain pasta, making sure to reserve one cup of pasta water; Place pasta and starchy water in a large pan

6. Add fresh spinach while the pasta is still hot and toss to wilt

7. Add butter/garlic/white wine/lemon mix and roasted red peppers to the pasta and toss to coat. Add additional olive oil if the pasta seems too dry.

8. In a small pan, melt the second 1/2 stick of butter; add panko and toss to toast

9. Plate pasta and top with seared tilapia

10. Coat both pasta and tilapia with the toasted panko

Serve with additional lemon wedges and Parmesan/Romano Cheese

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Bon Appetit!