OUR FAVORITE RECIPES
We want to share some of our favorite Tilapia, vegetable, herb and fruit recipes with you. We hope you enjoy these, as you harvest from your Aquaponics Farm!
Thai Tilapia
4 (4 oz) Tilapia fillets
¼ C Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1 small onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 C basil leaves, packed
olive oil spray
salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil on baking sheet (enough to fold over entirely and seal edges later). Spray aluminum with olive oil. Layer sliced onions in one line across foil. Layer fish fillets over onion slices (overlap fillets slightly). Spray lightly with olive oil. Salt to taste. Spread sweet chili sauce over fillets. Layer tomatoes over fillets. Layer basil leaves over tomatoes. Fold foil over top of fillets, and seal three open edges by tucking under foil edges. Bake for 20 minutes. Serves four.
Tilapia Tacos
1 lb Tilapia fillets, cut into small, square, bite-size cubes
2 T taco seasoning
1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 T canola oil
2 C cabbage, slivered
½ C freshly-chopped cilantro
½ C green onions, chopped
¾ C sour cream
1 C freshly-made salsa (chopped tomatoes, onions, green peppers, jalapeno peppers)
8 corn or flour tortillas
8 lime wedges
In a small bowl, mix taco seasoning with fresh lime juice. Add the cubed Tilapia, and coat each piece. In a medium skillet, heat cooking oil on medium heat. Add fish, and sauté for about 5 minutes (or until opaque). Remove fish from skillet, and drain on paper towels. In another mixing bowl, mix the cabbage, fresh cilantro and green onions. In another mixing bowl, mix sour cream and salsa. Warm tortillas briefly in microwave (wrapped in slightly wet paper towels), add cabbage layer, then Tilapia layer, then more cabbage. Top with a few T of salsa/sour cream mixture and a squeeze of lime. Makes 8 tacos.
Baked Zucchini with Parmesan Cheese
2 large zucchini
soft butter
Salt and freshly-ground pepper
¼ C freshly-grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split zucchini in half lengthwise. Put halves, cut side up, on foil-lined baking sheet. Spread cut sides with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes, turn oven off, start broiler, and broil under high heat a minute to brown. Serves four.
Green Bean-Tomato Salad with Herbs
2 lbs green beans
1 ½ t Dijon mustard
2 T red wine vinegar
¼ C plus 1 T olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper
1 T chopped tarragon
1 T snipped chives
½ t chopped thyme leaves
½ lb cherry tomatoes, halved
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until they are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the green beans under cold water until they are chilled; pat the green beans dry. In a large bowl, whisk the mustard with the vinegar. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the green beans, tarragon, chives and thyme and toss to coat. Add the tomatoes, toss gently and serve. Serves 10.
Oven-Roasted Tomatoes Stuffed with Goat Cheese
12 medium tomatoes (3 lbs)
1 2/3 lbs fresh goat cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T finely-chopped basil
1 t kosher salt
¼ t freshly-ground pepper
¼ C olive oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice off the top ½ inch of each tomato and reserve the tops. Scoop out the tomato cores and seeds. Cut a very thin sliver off the bottom of each tomato to help them stand up straight. Arrange the tomatoes in a 9’x13’ glass baking dish. In a bowl, combine the goat cheese with the egg, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and 2 T of the olive oil. Spoon the mixture into the tomatoes, mounding the filling ½ inch above the rim. Cover with the tomato tops and drizzle with the remaining 2 T of olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes, until tender and browned in spots and the cheese is hot. Let stand for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves twelve.
Pesto Sauce
For 1 lb of pasta, yields 1 1/2 Cup
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 t salt
2 C tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 T finely-chopped pinenuts
½ C olive oil
½ C freshly-grated parmesan cheese
2 T freshly-grated romano cheese
4 T butter, softened
In a food processor or blender, put the garlic, salt, basil, pinenuts and olive, and process until smooth, scraping down sides one or two times. Add the cheeses and butter and process very briefly, just to incorporate the cheeses and butter. The sauce is now ready for the cooked pasta.
Herb-and-Endive Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing
¼ C plus 1 T mayonnaise
1 T fresh lime juice
1 t finely grated lime zest
Salt and freshly-ground pepper
2 C packed flat-leaf parsley
1 C packed small basil leaves
1 C packed 1-inch chive pieces
½ C small mint leaves
¼ C tarragon leaves
2 belgian endives, separated into leaves or halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise ½-inch thick
Chive or sage blossoms, for garnish
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the lime juice and zest; season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix the herbs with the endives. Add the dressing, toss and garnish with the chive blossoms. Serves six.
Strawberry-Basil Iced Tea
Makes 2 quarts
8 black-tea bags
1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved (quartered if large)
1 C water, plus more for steeping
¾ C sugar
1 C fresh basil, plus more for serving
ice, for serving
Bring 4 C water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add tea bags, and let steep for 5 minutes. Place strawberries in a bowl. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add basil and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain over strawberries; discard basil. Toss to coat. Let stand until cool, about 25 minutes. Combine strawberries (with syrup) and tea in a pitcher. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice, and garnish with basil. Serves six to eight.
Strawberry Tarts with Cream
Makes two tarts
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 C plus 2 T confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting (optional)
2 large egg yolks (plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash)
2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling surface
¼ t salt
3 pints (6 C) strawberries, hulled
3 C strawberry preserves (two 12 oz jars)
1 C heavy cream
Cream butter and 1 C sugar until pale and fluffy. Add yolks, and beat until just incorporated. Add flour and salt, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). Roll out each disc into an 11-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit each round into the bottoms and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Prick the bottoms of dough with a fork, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush crusts with egg wash. Bake, pressing down crusts if they start to bubble, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely, and remove from pans. Trim strawberry bottoms so that berries are about the same height when standing, tips up. Heat preserves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until loose. Strain through a fine sieve. You will have about 1 C of solids left in sieve. Spread ½ C solids over bottom of each tart. Arrange strawberries in a single layer over the top, placing cut sides down. Brush strawberries with just enough warm glaze to make berries shiny. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired. Beat cream with remaining 2 T sugar just until thickened. Cut each tart in quarters, and serve slices topped with whipped cream. Serves eight.
All photos used on this website are ACTUAL system photos from our own aquaponics system.
We do not use stock photos!