By The corporate luncheon Tuesday went well. The thirty-five servings came out of the kitchen on time. The brokerage staff was pleased. Sandra Whitcomb has scheduled the next luncheon for February 14. Brayden is fifty-eight weeks old. The pre-Thanksgiving week has been quietly settled.
The pesto-parmesan tilapia is a fifteen-minute weeknight fish dish — tilapia fillets brushed with pesto, topped with grated parmesan, baked at four-hundred for twelve minutes until the fish is opaque and the parmesan is browned. The dish is the kind of weeknight format that takes minimal effort and produces a clean, satisfying plate.
The technique question is the temperature management. Tilapia is a thin fish — the fillets are usually three-quarters of an inch thick at the thickest point. Too hot and the fish over-cooks and goes tough. Too cool and the parmesan does not brown. The fix is the high oven temperature with a short cook time. Twelve minutes is the right window.
Sunday I made it. Dustin had two fillets. I had one. Brayden had a small portion of plain cooked fish (no pesto, no parmesan, in age-appropriate flakes). He approved of the fish. The dish covered Sunday dinner. The fast format means the dish will appear in the weekly rotation through the winter as a healthier-than-average weeknight option.
Aunt Linda’s small twice-weekly Tulsa-visits continue. She arrives at two PM. She stays for two hours. She holds Brayden (and later helps with both kids). She drinks the small cup of coffee I keep ready. We talk through the small week’s family-news. The small visits are the small social-thread that connects the Tulsa-apartment-life to the small Sapulpa-extended-family.
Brayden’s small developmental milestones have been arriving on the small typical-schedule. The pediatrician has been pleased at the small monthly check-ins. The small baby-and-now-toddler life continues to be the small foreground of the small family-of-three rhythm.
Pesto Parmesan Tilapia
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 1/3 cup prepared basil pesto
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil.
- Season the fish. Pat tilapia fillets dry with a paper towel and lay them on the prepared baking sheet. Season both sides lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add the pesto. Spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto evenly over the top of each fillet, covering it in a thin, even layer.
- Top with parmesan. Sprinkle the grated parmesan generously over the pesto on each fillet, pressing it down lightly so it adheres.
- Bake. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the parmesan is golden and set. If you’d like a little more color on top, broil for the final 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
- Serve. Transfer fillets to plates and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a scatter of fresh basil if you have it on hand.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 420mg