Eva's Kitchen - Eva Longoria Parker [19]
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
4 5- to 6-ounce tilapia fillets
Kosher salt to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Ingredients for Citrus-Garlic Sauce (see Note)
1. Sprinkle the fillets on both sides with salt. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it’s hot but not smoking. Add the tilapia to the pan and cook until the fish is opaque, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
2. Wipe out the skillet and prepare the citrus-garlic sauce. Arrange the fillets on 4 individual plates or on a platter. Pour the sauce over the fillets and serve.
NOTE
The best time to prepare the sauce is indicated in the recipe.
herbed sea bass in parchment
As useful as the paper package method is to cook thicker cuts of rich fish (see Honey-Glazed Salmon) it is also great for delicate, flaky white fish that can be difficult to handle during cooking and dries out easily.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Parchment paper
4 6-ounce sea bass or striped bass fillets
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
8 sprigs of fresh lemon thyme or thyme
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided into 4 equal pieces
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Cut four 15-inch squares of parchment. Lay a fillet just below the center of one parchment square. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lay 2 lemon thyme sprigs and a pat of butter on top.
3. Fold the top half of the parchment down so that the edges meet. Fold the three open sides several times to create tightly sealed “pouches.” Place the packet on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining fillets. Bake until just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the fillets’ thickness. Remember that the fish will continue to cook a little more after it’s removed from the oven. Transfer a package to each of 4 plates and serve.
poultry main courses
Like children everywhere, many kids at my school had pet dogs and cats. I had chickens. Every day I let them out of the coop to peck at bugs and the feed I scattered and every evening I had to corral them back into the coop, a chore akin to herding fifty kittens. I collected their eggs every day, except those that we left to hatch, and then I held and petted and whispered to the precious baby chicks. Looking back, I smile to think that when I was very young, I made no connection between these pecking, clucking little friends of mine and the chicken my mom bought at the market every week (we never ate our chickens … or at least no one ever told me we did). Of course I’m wiser now, and the time I spent with those chickens taught me to treat the creatures we raise for food with the dignity and respect every living being deserves. Because of this, when I buy poultry and eggs, I’m careful about my choices.
Once you have your chicken or turkey in hand, turn to the recipes in this chapter for crowd-pleasers of every type. There’s fun finger food that can also make a meal, such as Chicken Salad Sandwiches and BBQ Chicken Pizza; hearty stews and casseroles like Hungarian Paprika Chicken and Hot Chicken Salad; and favorites that I turn to again and again, including Lemon Fried Chicken and Chicken with Caramelized Shallots and Shiitake-Wine Sauce. Enjoy!
hot chicken salad
lemon fried chicken
chicken with caramelized shallots and shiitake-wine sauce
hungarian paprika chicken
chalupas
chicken salad sandwiches
bbq chicken pizza
flautas
enchiladas rojas (red enchiladas)
turkey shepherd’s pie
hot chicken salad
When I am in Malibu, I often serve this cheesy, hearty dish with a fresh fruit salad and warm croissants for brunch on the veranda.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Vegetable oil or cooking spray, for the baking dish
4 cups cooked,