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.