Day 22: Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Linguine and Mushroom Sauce

I was rather unproductive today other than this effort for dinner. Headaches really zap my energy and the one I had today, no less so. I set the fish in a gallon bag in the sink basin full of hot water to thaw the fish, then went out for a three mile run to try and boost my energy. That seemed to help and within about twenty minutes of finishing my run I was in the kitchen cooking. 

I've used this crust before and enjoyed it on everything I've ever tried it on. It's not too salty, not too bland and provides just enough crunch when correctly browned, so I thought I would try my luck with Tilapia.

The mushroom sauce for the linguine was an afterthought, but I'm rather pleased with how it turned out. Nothing like a little ingenuity in the kitchen!

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Linguine and Mushroom Sauce

What you'll need:

6 Tilapia filets, thawed and deboned

1/2 c parmesan

1/3 c Italian breadcrumbs

1 T basil

2 T olive oil

8 oz. linguine

1 can low sodium cream of mushroom soup

1- 4 oz. can of mushroom pieces

1/2 c water

1 c fresh organic spinach, finely chopped

1/3 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 t. basil

1 t. garlic

Parmesan to taste

In a small bowl, mix together the parmesan, breadcrumbs and basil until well blended. Take each filet of tilapia and immerse in the crust mixture, making sure both sides of each filet are coated.

On medium heat, saute the coated fish in olive oil in a large cast iron skillet until cooked through and crusting is nicely browned and crispy. Also make sure the fish is flaky before removing from the pan, otherwise you'll end up with slightly soggy fish like I did. Remove from the skillet when done and set aside.

Cook the linguine as directed, then drain and set aside. In a smaller sauce pan, pour in the mushroom soup, add water, then can of mushrooms, mixing well. (You can either use the water in the can with the mushrooms or drain the mushrooms and add the water from tap.) Take the fresh spinach and finely chop or use a food processor until the spinach is in bits. (Be sure you don't overdo it and end up with creamed spinach if you use a processor.) Add in the chopped spinach to the sauce pan and bring the pan to a bubble, mixing well and being sure the mixture doesn't burn. As the spinach is cooking down, add in the basil and garlic, and finally add in the mozzarella cheese, making sure all of it is melted and mixed into the sauce before removing the sauce from heat and serving atop the linguine. Garnish with Parmesan or a Parmesan/Romano blend to taste.

Ratings from the Experts*:  For moi, (Jen), I'm on the fence between a 6/7. The fish wasn't quite flaky and that downgraded the whole meal. The mushroom sauce on the other hand was wonderful and not to salty or thick. All in all, I had an off night...not unlike my day. If the fish was cooked correctly, I'd give it a solid 8.

John (hubby) gives it a 6. He did like the mushroom sauce as well. The 6 is mainly for the fact that the fish wasn't flaky and light like it normally is/should be.

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