Our Favorite Go-To Recipe: Lemon Pepper Fish with Caramelized Onion Rice

Let me lay out a sweet little scenario for you.... About 5 months before my wedding (3 before my first fitting) I couldn't fit into my dress. The stupid thing wouldn't zip up and that's when I realized I had gained about 20 pounds since I bought it less than a year earlier. So what do I do? Start cooking fish and cut out butter! I came up with different fish recipe's but this is by far our favorite. We still eat it  about 3 times a week. Fish has nearly no fat and is good for you! It's healthy and packed with flavor! Who knew lemon could be so versatile?

You need...

• 1 lemon
• 4 Tilapia Filets (1 per person)
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 3 cups of medium grain rice (I make a lot so there are left overs)
• 2 cloves of garlic. One minced and one cut in half. 
• Salt to season the rice and fish
• 2 teaspoons of pepper. If you hate pepper just use 1. Don't be afraid, it wont be too spicy!
• 1/8 teaspoon dried time

Season the tilapia with some salt to taste and make sure to sprinkle the pepper all over the fish. Every bite should have a good bit of pepper. Again, don't be afraid! Flip it over. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon right on to the fish. If the lemon seems a bit lacking in the juice department, just add the other half and have another ready for later! Then add some more salt to taste and the rest of the pepper to the fish. Let it sit and marinate for up to 30 minutes. Any longer than that and you will see that you are making Ceviche instead of sauteed fish. No bueno. 

Go ahead and start the rice. Add the thyme to the water and rice. Go with the package directions if you don't have a nifty rice cooker. I use a rice cooker to make my life and rice a little better. If you don't have one, put it on your list to buy later this week. 

While the rice is cooking and the fish is getting yummy, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large saute pan that pre heated to medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, one half of the garlic clove and season with salt and pepper. Stir every few minutes. Don't go away for too long. Got it? Good. Once the onions are gorgeously caramelized (my mouth is watering as I type this) and the rice is done, add the onions to the rice with, 2 tablespoons of olive oil some salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the rice. Stir and let the flavors sit and marry together in perfect harmony. 

When the fish is done marinating, get the same skillet you already used for the onions and add half a tablespoon of olive oil and the other half of the garlic clove. Set it to medium heat and when the oil is nice and up to temperature, add the fish and the juices they were marinating in. Depending on how big the fish are, cook on either side for 3 - 4 minutes. You know they are done when you stick a fork in them, twist it and it is nice a flaky. Don't forget to get rid of the garlic clove when you are done. Unless you want to eat it and smell funny when you sweat. Your choice.

Serve with some steamed veggies of your choice and be ready to see what food in heaven tastes like.

XOXO - Mrs. Pearson