Ingredients:
Tilapia or other mild white fish
Vine-ripened tomatoes, 1, chopped
Basil, 4-5 leaves, torn or chopped
Sugar
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Sicilian lemon white balsamic vinegar, 2-3 tbsp (I recommend buying the real thing...but alternatively, substitute white balsamic vinegar and juice of 1/2 lemon)
Directions:
1. Sprinkle fish with salt, pepper, and sugar.
2. Pan fry in a drizzle of olive oil until fish is opaque and flaking.
3. Place tomatoes, basil, butter and white balsamic vinegar. Heat until balsamic is just sizzling. Tomatoes should be warm but not cooked through.
4. Serve with generous sides, possibly crushed potatoes (I prefer lemon thyme to rosemary, though, or just salt and pepper) and oven-roasted Brussels sprouts, and a good chilled white wine.
The story:
Most weekends, I like to walk to our farmers' market and pick up a few things for the week. My son is an early riser: we are usually the first people there, so it's quiet, and the air is refreshingly cool and crisp. I usually try to stay away from the elaborate pastries, exotically floral jams, and imported olive oils - too easy to be tempted! - but this weekend, my son wanted to taste everything, and so we did. I love vinegars in general and balsamic specifically, but the Sicilian lemon white balsamic vinegar was above and beyond delicious. I could have sipped it from a cordial glass. I had to have it. Fortunately, it proved at least somewhat practical, in that it makes cooking outstanding fish extremely simple, as I think this dish proves.
Tilapia or other mild white fish
Vine-ripened tomatoes, 1, chopped
Basil, 4-5 leaves, torn or chopped
Sugar
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Sicilian lemon white balsamic vinegar, 2-3 tbsp (I recommend buying the real thing...but alternatively, substitute white balsamic vinegar and juice of 1/2 lemon)
Directions:
1. Sprinkle fish with salt, pepper, and sugar.
2. Pan fry in a drizzle of olive oil until fish is opaque and flaking.
3. Place tomatoes, basil, butter and white balsamic vinegar. Heat until balsamic is just sizzling. Tomatoes should be warm but not cooked through.
4. Serve with generous sides, possibly crushed potatoes (I prefer lemon thyme to rosemary, though, or just salt and pepper) and oven-roasted Brussels sprouts, and a good chilled white wine.
The story:
Most weekends, I like to walk to our farmers' market and pick up a few things for the week. My son is an early riser: we are usually the first people there, so it's quiet, and the air is refreshingly cool and crisp. I usually try to stay away from the elaborate pastries, exotically floral jams, and imported olive oils - too easy to be tempted! - but this weekend, my son wanted to taste everything, and so we did. I love vinegars in general and balsamic specifically, but the Sicilian lemon white balsamic vinegar was above and beyond delicious. I could have sipped it from a cordial glass. I had to have it. Fortunately, it proved at least somewhat practical, in that it makes cooking outstanding fish extremely simple, as I think this dish proves.
