Lime-Jalapeno Tilapia with Cilantro-Manchego-Pepita Pesto Zucchini Pasta
Try this Lime-Jalapeno Tilapia with Cilantro-Manchego-Pepita Pesto Zucchini Pasta recipe.
Try this Lime-Jalapeno Tilapia with Cilantro-Manchego-Pepita Pesto Zucchini Pasta recipe.
- 1 garlic clove minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 lime
- for the pesto:
- for the rest:
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium zucchinis blade a
- 3/4 cup grated manchego cheese
- 1/3 packed cup of cilantro leaves
- 1/4 tsp salt (or less)
- 2 tbsp deshelled roasted pepitas
- 2 tilapia filets
- 6 thin slices of a jalapeno
- Carbohydrate 4.3670525 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 9.766615 g
- Fiber 1.10862498259544 g
- Protein 0.3873875 g
- Saturated Fat 1.349774 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (45g)
- Sodium 38.1897864583334 mg
- Sugar 3.25842751740456 g
- Trans Fat 0.299839000000002 g
- Calories 99 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the tilapia filets on a baking tray lightly coated with cooking spray.
- Slice the lime in half and squeeze one half over one filet and the other half over the other filet.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 7 minutes.
- Then, take out, place 3 jalapeno slices on top of each filet and bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until tilapia is opaque and cooked through.
- While the tilapia is roasting, place all of the ingredients for your pesto into a food processor.
- Pulse until creamy.
- Taste and adjust, if necessary.
- In a large bowl, pour the pesto over the zucchini noodles and toss to combine thoroughly.
- Divide the noodles evenly onto two plates.
- When the tilapia is done, top each bed of zucchini pasta with one filet.
- Enjoy!
Why is the water pooling at the bottom of the bowl?
Raw zucchini noodles shed cellular moisture rapidly upon contact with salt and acidic elements like lime juice. Tossing the ribbons in pesto seals the cut surfaces marginally, but expect liquid accumulation within twenty minutes. Salting the zucchini strands in a colander for fifteen minutes before mixing draws out excess water, preventing a watery emulsion. Cheese-based pestos lack the structural stability of traditional basil and pine nut pastes when exposed to watery vegetables.Can this pepita pesto be prepared ahead of time?
Blending cilantro, manchego cheese, and roasted pepitas creates a vibrant green sauce that oxidizes quickly due to the high enzyme activity in fresh herbs. Storing the mixture in an airtight jar requires a thin barrier of extra virgin olive oil poured directly across the surface to block oxygen contact. Kept at standard refrigeration temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the sauce maintains optimal color for up to two days. Separation occurs naturally during chilling, so re-blending or vigorous hand stirring restores uniformity before assembly.How should leftover fish and noodles be handled?
Reheating delicate white fish alongside raw vegetables presents textural obstacles because microwave energy cooks protein unevenly. Separating the tilapia from the zucchini pasta allows the fish to be warmed gently at a low power setting for thirty seconds. Zucchini noodles lose structural integrity when heated fully, turning limp and releasing more liquid into the dish. Consuming the raw vegetable base cold while warming only the fish maintains the intended textural contrast of the original preparation.
