Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

My seafood adventures continue. Trying to find new and fun ways to make a satisfying meal for a fish lover (me) and a not so much (the boyfriend). After spending 15 minutes in the super market convincing him he would like tilapia and that it was very mild, I figured I better make it very delicious. What is better than crusted and fried? How about the appearance and taste of being crusted and fried, while still being extremely healthy and not a million calories. Perfection. The tilapia is mild and firm, which makes it a perfect fish for crusting, I choose cornmeal for a little texture, flavor, and whole graininess. This delicious dinner was done in about 10 minutes too (well the asparagus took a little longer than that, but you could choose a super fast side), so this dinner is perfect for a lazy and healthy week night meal.

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia:
2 tilapia fillets, a little less than a pound
1/4 cup of cornmeal
1/4 tsp of salt, plus additional
1/2 tsp of pepper, plus additional
1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 tbsp of canola oil, approximately

Slice the tilapia fillets along the natural split, so you have four pieces. Squeeze lemon juice over the fillets on both sides and lightly salt and pepper. In a bowl mix together the cornmeal 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, and the parsley. Dredge each piece in the cornmeal mixture on both sides. Heat the oil in a large skillet, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the two larger pieces and cook for 3 minutes. Add the smaller pieces and and flip the larger pieces. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes then flip the smaller pieces, cook everything for another 1 1/2 minutes. In case that was confusing, the larger pieces cook for 3 minutes on each side, and the smaller pieces cook for about 1 1/2 minutes each side. Serve and enjoy.

Happy Eating.