Community Magazine March 2014

T H C H I C K I T C H E N ESTHER DEUTSCH Who says easy can't b e fabulous? Esther Deutsch, author of CHIC Made Simple shares her philosophy: If your food looks irresistible - it tastes as such. Her recipes are designed to look – and taste – like gourmet cuisine. Yet the recipes are so easy, they take just minutes. Coconut Tilapia with Apricot Teriyaki Sauce YOU WOULD be hard-pressed to find a tilapia recipe that comes close to this one. It’s the only tilapia recipe I’ve included in this cookbook because I’ve yet to taste another tilapia dish that compares. What makes this coconut crust different from others is that it combines fine and flaked coconut. Since tilapia is a mild-flavored and tender fish, the combination of the two coconut textures gives it an extra boost of crunch and coconut boldness. I find that when I fry fish or chicken cutlets I get a more intense flavor when I season the egg wash instead of the crumbs, flour, or cornstarch. Besides seasoning the egg wash, I also add some kosher salt and black pepper to the cornstarch coating. Ingredients: • 4 slices tilapia (1 lb. total) • Peanut oil, for frying DIPPING SAUCE • 1 cup apricot jam • 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard • 2 Tbsp. white or red horseradish, drained • 2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce COATING 1 • ½ cup cornstarch • Kosher salt • Fresh black pepper COATING 2 • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 tsp. garlic powder • 1 tsp. onion powder • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper • 1 tsp. kosher salt • ¼ tsp. fresh black pepper COATING 3 • 1 cup fine ground coconut • 1 cup coconut flakes DIRECTIONS 1. To prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. 2. Cut the tilapia into ¾-inch-wide strips (about 4 strips per slice). Trim the top and bottom of each strip to form a neat rectangular shape. 3. Prepare three bowls for the coatings. In one bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and black pepper. In a second bowl, combine the eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. In the third bowl, combine the fi ne coconut and the coconut flakes. 4. Coat the tilapia strips on all sides with the cornstarch coating, then coat with the egg mixture. Finally, coat the tilapia with the coconut coating. 5. In a frying pan, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. (Make sure the oil is very hot before frying or the fish will stick to the pan.) Fry the tilapia on both sides until it is golden brown and the crust is crispy, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the tilapia and drain on a paper towel. Serve with the dipping sauce. Serves 6 66 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE