Tilapia, the Other White Fish

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

I have a confession to make. As a former seafood snob, I never gave tilapia the chance it deserved. When this type of fish became popular in the late 1990's, I tasted it once and relegated it to the category of cat food. The tilapia I had at that time had a mushy texture and muddy taste, similar to catfish, which just didn’t agree with me. So while tilapia became ubiquitous on some restaurant menus, cooking shows, and at the seafood counter, I crossed it off my list. And most "serious" chefs seemed to feel the same way.

Although it is commonly found on more mid priced menus and restaurants featuring various Latin American and Asian cuisines (those fresh fish you see swimming in the tanks in Chinatown restaurants are usually tilapia), it hardly ever makes its way onto fine dining menus.

After more than a decade went by in which I avoided tilapia like the plague, I recently tried it once again in my favorite Fish Taco recipe, as a substitute for cod. And lo and behold, it actually tasted good this time! This tilapia had a meaty texture and didn’t have a muddy taste at all. The firm and mild white fish fillets are more like a blank canvas that worked well with all the taco flavorings, like lime juice, cumin, cilantro, and jalapenos.

I was convinced to give tilapia another chance because it is one of the few fish that, depending upon where in the world it is from, falls under the safe category on seafood sustainability lists and also has low levels of toxic metals. In addition, it’s one of the more economical seafood choices at the fish counter.

The tilapia that is most commonly available at the seafood counter is farm raised, and the difference in flavor seems to be dependent upon farm raising technique and the area of the world where it was produced. Fresh tilapia usually comes from the Americas (mostly Central and Latin America) and is rated as a good choice on seafood watch lists, while frozen filets are more commonly from Asia.

If there are blooms of blue green algae in the ponds where tilapia are raised, it can produce an off flavor that has more of muddy taste. A responsibly managed aquaculture system will take steps to limit overcrowding and to meet quality standards, producing a better product. A good fishmonger should be able to share this information. So now that I know I can find tilapia that comes from high quality producers that farm fish in a responsible manner, I have rethought avoiding this seafood choice.

Because of its sustainability, many chefs are giving tilapia a second look. It appeals to even people who might be scared off of other stronger tasting fish. I can tell you from personal experience that it's one fish that both my kids will eat. Tilapia holds up well on the grill and can be a platform for all kinds of flavors, just like chicken. It takes well to marinating with strong flavors or steaming, as in the Chinese preparation of steamed fish with ginger, garlic, and scallions. Try Tilapia grilled or broiled with a topping of pesto and sun-dried tomatoes in a salute to all things that became popular in the 90's.

This tilapia tale has reminded me not to limit my horizons, and to keep an open mind about foods that I may have previously dismissed. Have you ever thought you didn't like a certain food and then found out later that you really do?

Serves/Makes: 2

• 2 tilapia filets, about 4 ounces each
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 lemon wedges