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Italian Nut Coated Tilapia With Basil Compound Butter

Keyword Seafood
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Author Mark & Fey

Ingredients

  • 2 5 ounce bags Diamond of California Italian Nut Coatings
  • 4 6-ounce filets Tilapia
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 stick 4 ounces salted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil about 8-10 leaves
  • cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts smashed and finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil and more if needed
  • Kosher salt for seasoning
  • Fresh cracked black pepper for seasoning

Instructions

  • Prepare the filets by making sure all the pin bones are removed. A clean pair of tweezers makes this an easy task (you can buy a fancy bone removing pair, but who needs that!). Place the fish on a baking sheet and lightly season with kosher salt) and pepper. Set aside. You will also want to use a few baking sheets to coat the fish in the flour and Diamond of California Italian Nut Coating. Before coating the fish, go ahead and make the compound butter. 
  • In a bowl, combine the basil, pecorino romano cheese, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Then add softened butter. Using the back of a fork, smash ingredients around until fully incorporated. Place compound butter onto a piece of parchment paper. Gently press the butter into a burrito shape and then wrap in the parchment paper. Freeze for at least one hour or until ready to use.
  • Now coat the fish. Place the flour on one of the baking sheets and evenly spread out by shaking back and forth. Add some salt and pepper to the flour, mix with a spoon. Spread out the Diamond of California Italian Nut Coatings on another small baking sheet. Crack the eggs into a large bowl that will be used for coating the fish once dredged in flour. Whip the eggs until smooth and uniform. Salt and pepper the eggs to taste (pinch of salt and pinch of cracked black pepper). 
  • Set up your dredging station in this order: flour, egg wash, Diamond of California Italian Nut Coating. Make sure you fully coat the fish first in the flour, then dredge in the egg wash and finish by evenly coating the fish in Diamond of California Italian Nut coatings. Place the coated fish on a sheet tray with a piece of parchment paper. Place the entire tray on the grill at approximately 400 to 425 degrees F. Remove the fish when the internal temperature hits 145 degrees F, about 20 minutes. 
  • Take the compound butter out of the freezer and cut small discs. Place them on the fish. The heat from the fish should help to melt the butter. However, if you want to help it along, go ahead and take a food torch and give those little discs a heat bath to melt the butter.
  • Cut with a fork and enjoy. 

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