Seared Lemon Pepper Tilapia With Creamy Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 cup vinegar (or other high-quality vinegar)
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 egg yolks, from pasteurized eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin seed oil or 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ice water, if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted lightly in oven
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups progresso® lemon pepper panko crispy bread crumbs
• 6 tilapia fillets, 5 to 6 oz each
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
• 3 small head butter lettuce, washed and dried well, torn
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Recipe

• 1 in food processor, place the vinegar, mustard, shallot, thyme and pasteurized egg yolks. cover; process until smooth. with the machine running, add the 1 cup pumpkin seed oil and then the 1 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. if the mixture gets too thick, add the 1 tablespoon ice water. season with the salt and pepper. stir in pumpkin seeds. refrigerate while making tilapia.
• 2 place the flour, 2 eggs and the bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow dishes. dip each fillet in flour then in eggs and finally, dredge on both sides in bread crumbs, shaking off the excess.
• 3 heat 2 skillets over high heat. divide 3 tablespoons olive oil evenly between skillets. when hot, add the fish; reduce heat to medium, and cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. turn fish and cook on the second side until the fish is done throughout (test with a fork), about 4 minutes, depending on thickness.
• 4 transfer the fish to 6 individual plates. garnish with the lemon wedges. toss the lettuce with a portion of the dressing; divide among plates of fish. spoon some of the additional dressing over the fish; sprinkle pomegranate seeds over all, and enjoy.
• 5 copyright 2010 michael chiarello. recipe provided by chef michael chiarello – june 2010.