Pineapple Stuffed Tilapia

Pineapple Stuffed Tilapia

I sincerely apologize for taking so long to post recipes!  Having a baby, moving and going back to school has kept me extremely and insanely busy.  But the good news is I am finally back in upload mode and even better, I have a tremendous backlog of recipes for you guys! Here's one I made last night.  If you haven't tried whole fish (bones and all) you are seriously missing out.  I can't say enough about how juicy, rich and moist it is when you cook fish while it's still on the bones.  It's so amazing that two out of the three fish you see in this pic was devoured by moi within a matter of minutes!!!  I didn't even bother with my sides (Bacon Pineapple Fried Sticky Rice and Honey Lime Slaw). That should tell you how good it is!  

Unless you're in an Asian grocery store, where pretty much all fish are sold whole,  finding whole fish isn't as easy in regular grocery stores.  I have found the two places that consistently carry whole tilapia is Sam's club or Walmart.  It's already cleaned and ready to cook.  So here's what you need:

INGREDIENTS:

whole tilapia (1 per person)

lemongrass (1 stalk, grated or smashed then rubbed on fish, can also use the stalks to stuff)

ginger (1 tbsp grated)

garlic (about 1 small clove per fish, minced/pressed)

lime (grate zest and juice)

fresh pineapple 1- 1 1/2 cup chopped (Sorry,  if you really want the wow factor, no canned stuff here.) 

salt, garlic powder

basil, mint, cilantro, crushed peanuts, Thai chili flakes

Ai's Awesome Fish Sauce

roasting rack with baking tray on the bottom

Thaw, drain and dry fish

Cut two diagonal slits on each side of the fish

Rub fish with garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime zest and lime juice.  Feel free to stuff it inside the slits.

Season both sides with moderate salt and garlic powder. (Can also add Thai chili flakes if you're not cooking for kids.)

Stuff insides and slits with pineapple chunks.  

Spray roasting rack with non stick spray and add place fish on top.  You can also add more pineapple on top.

Place rack in the middle of your oven and bake at 500 for about 25 minutes.  Extra large fish add 10 or so minutes.    

Remove fish and allow it to sit for a few minutes.

Remove fish with a thin metal spatula and place on a platter.  Top with chopped basil, mint, cilantro, peanuts, chili flakes and fish sauce.  

Just make sure you remove the bones as you eat.  The slits you cut should help you pull the meat off easier without pulling on the bones.  This goes great with rice noodles, rice paper rolls, lettuce wraps or sticky rice.  Add fresh greens, cucumbers, carrots and pour fish sauce dressing on top and devour!