3-1-2011 Coconut Tilapia Dinner Recipes

Well I haven't cooked in two nights, but all the cooking I am going to be doing in the next few days will make up for that.  Tomorrow night I am going to make coconut tilapia, pineapple chutney, golden beet salad, and baked brown rice. I don't know why, but whenever I make something with coconut, I feel like I have to make something with pineapple. (gonna call it The Pina Colada Effect!) Here are the recipes:

Coconut Tilapia

4-6 Tilapia Fillets
1- 1 1/2  C. shredded coconut, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. bread crumbs
1 egg, cracked into a medium bowl and lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a pyrex baking dish with non stick spray, set aside
In a bowl mix together bread crumbs, coconut, salt, and pepper
Dip each piece of tilapia in egg, then into coconut
Place fish into pyrex in a single layer.
Bake for until the coconut is slightly browned, carefully flip over and bake again until slightly browned. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish, be sure to watch, the fish should  flake easily when done cooking.

Pineapple Chutney
1 can crushed pineapple
1 T. dark brown sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground or fresh grated ginger, go with fresh for more flavor
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Place crushed pineapple, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and salt in a small or medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until thick. This step is optional, but I used an immersion blender and made it a little more smooth when it was finished cooking.

Golden Beet Salad
1 1/4 pounds Golden Beets, trimmed
1 1/2 T. rice wine vinegar (I prefer seasoned type)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 T. olive oil (I buy organic extra virgin)
1/2 t. dijon mustard
1 package of baby spinach, 5 oz.
3 T. toasted or candied walnuts (I really like the glazed ones that are Diamond brand found at walmart)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap beets in parchment, then foil, and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 60-90 minutes. Let cool completely
Peel beets (an easy way to do this is by rubbing the skin firmly with a dry paper towel), cut into matchsticks.

Make salad dressing, whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, olive oil, and dijon.

In a large bowl place spinach, beets, and walnuts. Toss salad with dressing. Serve immeadiately.

Baked Brown Rice:

This recipe is by the amazing Alton Brown from the Food Network. This is a basic recipe that is very easy to make. Serves 6

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.

Talk to you tomorrow after I make this dinner. I will let you know how it goes.

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