Grilled Tilapia With Cilantro Orange Dressing
There's nothing fishy about this easy and elegant meal. Make it for an at-home date night, when company's coming, when you're crunched for time and need to put a meal on the table ASAP or ... well, that pretty much covers it, doesn't it?
- 4 tilapia fillets (snapper, halibut, grouper or salmon can also be used)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Cooking spray
Combine the orange juice concentrate, cumin, cilantro and lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth.
With the blender on, add the canola oil in a thin, steady stream.
Add ½ teaspoon of the salt and cayenne pepper.
Serve at room temperature with the fish, or the sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.
Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
When ready for dinner, prepare the grill to medium heat.
Spray the fish fillets generously with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
Grill for five minutes on each side or to desired doneness.
Transfer to a serving platter.- Serve the tilapia and pass the dressing.
- Tilapia is firm enough to place directly on the grill, but be careful not to overcook it; you may lose some of the fish in the flames. To be safe, you can line your grill rack with heavy-duty aluminum foil or use a grill basket.
- Cilantro is one of the few herbs with soft, edible and flavorful stems. In essence, it is a great herb for the one-armed cook who does not have a hand free (or the time!) to separate and chop fresh herbs.
© Cynthia Stevens Graubart & Catherine Fliegel, R.N. 2005
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