Tilapia Fillets with Thin Pasta and Kale

I love tilapia because it is so easy to cook and tasty.  With my new love for kale, I had to have it as a veggie for dinner.  Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound thin egg pasta or angel hair pasta
4 thin tilapia
Seasoned salt
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter (or more)
2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
2 lemons
A handfull flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
3/4 pound kale, chopped
ground nutmeg


Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add to pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, pat the fish dry and season with salt, pepper and a little seasoned salt. On a plate, mix the four and cornstarch. Coat the fish in the flour mixture.

3. In  a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil, over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and let it foam up, then add the fish fillets and cook, turning once, until golden brown and firm, 4-6 minutes.  Add a little more butter if you need to the pan.  Transfer the fillets to a plate and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan and return to heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil, and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to melt. Stir in garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the wine for another minute. Add 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel and the juice of 1 lemon. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and stir the slice slices into the sauce along with the parsley. Spoon the sliced lemons and half of the butter sauce over the fish.  If you would like more sauce just cook more butter and wine in the pan.  ( I did :) )

4. Add the reserved pasta water and the pasta to the skillet. Add the remaining butter sauce and season with salt and pepper; toss. Transfer the pasta to a platter.  Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Add the kale with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook to wilt. Serve fish with a little pasta and kale.

Bang Bang Shrimp

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
3 drops Hot Chili Sauce (or to taste)
1 pound shelled and deveined shrimp
Dry cornstarch
oil for frying
lettuce
chopped scallions


Directions:
Mix mayonnaise with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Add hot sauce to taste. Dredge the shrimp in cornstarch. Deep fat fry the shrimp until lightly brown. Drain on paper towel, put in a bowl and coat with the sauce. Serve in a lettuce lined bowl, top with chopped scallions.




(adapted from CDKitchen.com)

Greek-Style Shrimp Scampi

By popular demand, here is the recipe.  It was a hit at my house! I served it with garlic bread.  It would also go great with a glass of wine. If you want a healthier version, serve with whole wheat pasta.

Cook Time: 15 minutes        Servings: 4

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound of linguine
1 pound of medium or large shrimp, peeled and devained, tails removed
Black pepper
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (I did not use because Ezra had it for dinner)
2 fresh oregano sprigs, finely chopped (I used about a teaspoon of dried oregano)
Handful of pitted kalamata olives, chopped (I am not an olive fan so I don't use)
1/2 cup of wine
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Handful of fresh parsley leaved chopped (I used about a tablespoon of dried parsley)
1 cup of Feta cheese crumbles (I used a little more because I love feta)

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta al dente in a large covered pot of water with a little salt. Heads up: You will need some of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.
2. Season shrimp with salt and pepper
3. Heat oil in a deep skillet and brown garlic slices. Remove the garlic and reserve.
4. Add the shrimp and cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Add the red peeper flakes, oregano, olives, wine, and lemon zest and cook together for a couple more minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Add a ladle of the starchy pasta cooking water to the sauce, then add the lemon juice. Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Let the pasta absorb the juices for a minute, then toss the feta, parsley, and reserved garlic slices.
6. Use tongs to toss the pasta together and serve.