Buttery Tilapia with Smashed Potatoes

I found this recipe while going through my file of recipes clipped from magazines and newspapers.  I've been a subscriber to EveryDay with Rachael Ray just about since it started.  I love the easy, weeknight meals.  This is one I've had for awhile.  I never really cooked too much with fish before we got married.  Well, except for the occasional fish sticks during lent, and even that was more 're-heating' not cooking.  It always scared me a bit, just because I hadn't really done it before.  Zach is pretty comfortable cooking with fish, so I've definitely learned from him.  

This recipe was quick and easy.  I chose it to use the new red potatoes we got in our CSA box this week, and they were delicious.  The scallion and sun-dried tomato butter that tops the fish was excellent.  We even used some on top of the cauliflower we had with this meal.  It'd also be great as a finishing butter on top of a steak fresh off the grill.  The original recipe calls for halibut, but tilapia is a very similar fish and is what we already had on hand.  The only other change we made was to add a splash of chicken stock and a few tablespoons of parmesan to the potatoes, since after smashing and tasting them, they were a bit on the dry side and needed just a little "something extra" flavor-wise. 

Buttery Tilapia with Smashed Potatoes

adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, May 2008

4 Servings

Prep 15 min

Cook 20 min

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons softened

1 sun-dried tomato, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Salt and pepper

1 pound small new potatoes

Four 6- to 8-ounce tilapia fillets

2 tablespoons flour

2-3 tablespoons chicken stock

2-3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, sun-dried tomato, scallion and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
• In a large saucepan, add the potatoes and enough salted water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, then smash the potatoes with 1 tablespoon butter, chicken stock and parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper, then coat lightly with the flour. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the fish and cook, turning once, until golden and firm to the touch, 7 to 8 minutes total.
• Transfer the fish to serving plates and top with the tomato-scallion butter. Serve with the smashed potatoes.