Look at these babies...they're a thing of beauty! They're colorful! They look appetizing! They're.....A DUD.
I'm really sorry I have to do this to you. It's been over six months since I posted my one and only flop, but they're what was on my meal plan people. And don't get me wrong, they aren't a flop in the sense of being inedible. All the pieces of this culinary puzzle just don't mesh well. For all the flavor that you inject into these babies there should really be a party in your mouth, and you know...they were just bland. I kid you not. BLAND.
It's sad that one of the best food photo's I've taken all year is for a dud.
*Recipe from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book
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Serves 4
Fish:4 tilapia fillets
1 lime, juice and zest
Salt and pepper
Flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups bread crumbs
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp seafood seasoning (like Old Bay)
Vegetable oil
Spicy Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
1 chipotle in abodo, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp abodo sauce
Sandwiches:
4 whole wheat buns
Lettuce
Tomato
Citrus Honey Slaw:
1 bag of coleslaw
2 tsp hot sauce
3 tbsp honey
2 limes
Sprinkle fish with salt, pepper and lime zest. Set up 3 bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with bread crumbs, smoked paprika and seafood seasoning. Dip each piece of fish in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs and set aside.
In a large pan over medium high heat add a couple tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot add the fish. Let them cook until golden brown and then flip and cook on the other side, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the fish and place on a plate and squeeze fresh lime juice on them.
To make the slaw, combine the hot sauce, lime juice and honey in the bottom of a bowl. Add the coleslaw and toss together.
Place split rolls under the broiler and toast for a couple minutes. Combine the sour cream, chipotle and adobo in a small bowl. Place a big dollop of spicy sour cream on one side of the bun, place a piece of fish on top along with lettuce and tomato. Serve slaw along side.
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THE RESULTS?
Yeah no....won't be making this one again. My problem was with the texture of the fish. It isn't crispy enough to be on a sandwich so the whole thing is a big mushy mess. We topped our fish with the citrus honey slaw to give it some crunch (as per the pics) but it really didn't help. It didn't have a pop of flavor like we expected it to either. Pan-fried fish has a delicate crispness to it, that was completely lost by putting it in a bun. Both my husband and I were disappointed with the meal.
Possible redeeming qualities was that my toddler loved the fish. She ate an entire piece to herself. Another thing was my husband took the leftovers to work the next day and forgot to bring a bun...he ate the fish by itself dipped in the spicy sour cream with the slaw on the side and he said it was MUCH better. I think it's the whole "sandwich" thing that just doesn't work well with the fish.
Them's my two cents. Sorry Ray Ray.