The flavor is all in the crust, a mixture of sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Panko breadcrumbs, and spices—perfect to liven up tilapia, or another mild white fish like snapper or cod. We originally made the recipe paired with a mixed berry sauce, just a simple reduction of mixed berries, a little sugar, and water. The sauce is fabulous with the fish, though I think it sounds kind of weird. Who puts a berry sauce on white fish? It works because of the crust. It’s acidic, and like lemon juice helps balance out the flavors. The sauce optional though. The tilapia is great all on its own, with just a little lemon juice drizzled over to serve.
2 cups mixed berries (frozen work well) 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 cup water
Working one by one, dredge the tilapia fillets first in the flour until lightly coated, then dip in the beaten egg until coated and let the excess drip off. Place a small handful of the breadcrumb mixture on the large plate and place the fillet on top of it. Sprinkle a generous amount of breadcrumb mixture over the top of the fillet and press down with your fingers. When both sides are well breaded, gently transfer the fillet to the roasting pan. Serve with slices of lemon with which to drizzle over the fish, and/or the optional berry sauce.
