What to do with fish.

I'm always a little uneasy around fish. I have a hard time envisioning creative preparations, particularly ones that my family will enjoy. Sure, I have a few safe standards - teriyaki for salmon or tuna, shrimp phat thai, and some nice pan-fried scallops. But still, my partner and daughter don't like anything spicy (she has an excuse - she's four), he hates salmon, and I have yet to try those really tasty scallops out on either of them. Anyway, I got a good deal on tilapia filets this week at the local grocery store, so I decided to try something a little different. Citrus and fish is generally a safe combination, so I've adapted Epi's recipe for pan-seared tilapia with chili-lime butter to suit my family's tastes and to better fit into my Weight Watchers Points. Add a couple of my favorite sides, and you have a tasty meal just about anyone can enjoy.

Pan seared tilapia with chili-lime butter; asparagus and shiitake saute; goat cheese mashed potatoes (serves 3)

Weight Watchers Points per serving: 9

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp finely chopped shallot

1/2 tsp lime zest

1 tsp lime juice

1/4 tsp sambal oelek (chili paste)

1/4 tsp salt

3 tilapia filets, about 500 g

1 Tbsp sunflower oil

2 tsp salted butter

75 g asparagus tips, preferably the small Thai variety

75 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 2-inch piece of leek (the light green and white part), sliced very thinly

1 tsp dried thyme (not ground)

1 tsp dried parsley

1 pound yellow-flesh potatoes

1 1/2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup vegetable broth or boullion

For tilapia:

Combine butter, shallot, lime zest and juice, chili paste, and salt well in a small bowl. Refrigerate until serving time. Pat fish filets dry and lightly salt on both sides; heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until golden-brown on each side, about 5 minutes. Serve with a dollop of chile-lime butter on top.

For saute:

Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add vegetables and herbs and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.

For potatoes:

scrub and peel potatoes; cut into half-inch thick slices. Boil in salted water until crumbly-tender. Drain well and return to pot. Add goat cheese and mash well. Add broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, mashing until potatoes are desired texture.

Sicilian lamb chops (with food porn).

Every now and then I like to splurge on something really luxurious for dinner. It's sort of my subsitute for eating out. I can cook an amazing meal at home for a fraction of the price of eating said amazing meal in a restaurant. Tonight I made lamb, which I've never cooked before but grew to love years ago thanks to my Jordanian neighbors back in the States.

Flipping through my Italian cookbook for a previous night's risotto recipe, I found a delicious-looking lamb preparation that I simply had to try. Well worth the gamble - the chops were tender, juicy, and smothered in a rich pan gravy that was exceptionally good for mopping up with the accompanying fries.

Sicilian lamb chops with pan gravy and rosemary-garlic steak fries (serves 3)

Weight Watchers Points per serving: 8

300 grams lamb chops (about 3 large)

1 tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 oz white wine

3 oz beef broth

1 Tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

500 grams (1 pound) yellow-flesh potatoes (about 4 medium)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Saute garlic with lamb chops until chops are browned on both sides, about 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add broth, tomato puree, rosemary, and pepper. Stir well and simmer for another 2 minutes. Transfer chops and all pan juices to a glass baking dish, and bake for 35 minutes.

Once the chops are in the oven, scrub (but do not peel) potatoes and cut into 1/8 wedges. Toss potatoes with olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt in a large covered skillet. Cook on medium heat, turning occasionally to brown all sides, until lamb chops are done.

Serve chops with a heaping serving of fries and plenty of the pan gravy for dipping.

Chinese takeout - at home (part 1).

Lately I've had a real craving for Chinese food. Since moving to the Netherlands six months ago, I've missed what I grew up calling Chinese. Sure, there's really no such thing as real Chinese food in the United States, but here it's even stranger. 'Chinese' takeout here has heavy Indonesian influences, and I don't care much for Indonesian food. So I set out on an online quest to find some good 'Chinese' recpies like I'm used to.

Orange chicken has always been my hands-down favorite at any Chinese takeout place. It's sweet, it's spicy, it's sticky and just plain yummy. This version (much lighter, using white meat chicken and skipping the usual breading and deep-frying) is absolutely delicious, mildly spicy, easy to make, and tastes just like the American Chinese food I'm used to.

Orange chicken with broccoli and steamed rice (serves 3)
Weight Watchers Points per serving: 8

3/4 cup uncooked white rice, such as jasmine or basmati
3 cups broccoli

1 tsp sesame oil
350g boneless, skinless chicken breast (2 breasts), cubed
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sambal oelek (chili paste; found in most supermarkets)
2 tsp vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp cornstarch or 2 Tbsp flour

Cook rice according to package or rice cooker directions. Steam broccoli.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly. Add to chicken mixture, stir well, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 6 minutes, or until chicken is well-cooked and no longer pink inside, and sauce is thick.

Serve over steamed rice, with broccoli on the side.

NOTE: For the non-spicy version, omit pepper and chili paste.