As of late my favourite fish and grain pairing is Tilapia with Quinoa for a few reasons. The first reason is the texture of both the Tilapia and the Quinoa. Tilapia is a mild white fish that lends well with the fluffy and nutty texture of Quinoa. Another reason why a I prefer this coupling is that both Tilapia and Quinoa are versatile ingredients, therefore I can experiment with a variety of seasonings and flavourings. One more reason and perhaps the most important reason is the health benefits of eating both.I discovered this pairing a couple of years back when my Mother-in-Law was visiting from Peru. As you may already know, Quinoa is an indigenous grain to Peru and while Carmen was here in Toronto she taught how to use Quinoa in my daily cooking. Here I marinated the Tilapia in Peruvian flavourings and the Quinoa has hints of the way my Suegra prepares her Quinoa.
Peruvian Tilapia
4 tilapia fillets
juice from 1 lime
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp aji amarillo
salt
pepper
2 tbsp avocado oil
1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Place tilapia fillets on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
3. In a small mixing bowl prepare the marinade. Brush generously onto each fillet.
4. Bake the tilapia in the oven for 30 minutes.
Carmencita's Quinoa
2 cups mixed quinoa ( I used red and white)
4 cups of water
1 cube of chicken stock
1 red onion diced
1 small tomato diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp avocado oil
1. Place quinoa in a medium size sauce pan with the water and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and the reduce and simmer for 15 minutes of medium-low heat.
2. Meanwhile, saute the red onion, tomato with the garlic, cumin and oregano.
3. Once the quinoa is done cooking stir in the saute mix and cover with a paper towel and the lid of the pan. This helps to absorb some of the liquid from the quinoa.
* Serve this dish with your favourite green salad. I served a warm garlic and lemon kale salad.
