Tilapia cakes are a great stand-by recipe for Josh and me. We always have some frozen tilapia filets on hand, and this makes a quick, cheap and simple appetizer or meal. The ingredients vary, depending on what we have on hand. Basically, you just need tilapia (2-3 filets for two people), garlic (or garlic powder), any form of onion (regular, scallion, shallot), peppers (any color, or leave out entirely), lemon or lime, breadcrumbs, an egg, and salt and pepper.
Poached tilapia, lime zest, garlic, lime, egg, onion, green pepper, bread crumbs
I just poach the filets for a few minutes in salted water, then drain and flake in a mixing bowl. I like garlic, so I usually mince 2 cloves, but the amount is really up to you. Then I finely dice the onion (one small or half a large is plenty) and pepper (same amount as the onion), zest one lemon or lime, and reserve the fruit for squeezing over the top of the cakes after they are cooked. Mix it all together, and season with salt and pepper.
All the ingredients mixed up together
Since the fish is cooked after poaching, this is when I taste for seasoning. Then I throw in an egg to bind it, and some breadcrumbs if it needs some filler to hold it all together. Mix well, then form and shape into patties. The size is up to you, but usually we’ll get four hamburger-sized patties from the mixture. We’ve also made smaller appetizer portions, and even smaller bite size portions for a cocktail party. To cook, cover the bottom of a pan with a thin layer of neutral oil (i.e. vegetable or grapeseed), and heat over medium high heat until it is shimmering and just starting to smoke. Then simply fry the patties until they have a nice golden crust.
Pan fry the patties until golden brown on each side
To make a quick sauce for the cakes, I mixed together whole grain mustard, sriracha and mayo. Josh also sometimes mixes sesame oil and mustard for an Asian flare. Again, it’s up to you. Spread the sauce on a plate, place the cake on top, and squeeze the lemon or lime over the whole thing. Dressed up or dressed down, it’s really an easy meal to make and can be fancy enough to entertain with.
Bon appetite!
Tags: Appetizers, Tilapia