Tilapia with Sauteed Spinach -- The Fish Jake Made When the Pierogi Were Already Gone

Spring is coming. I can feel it in the air — that subtle shift from hostile cold to merely uncomfortable cold. The ice on the sidewalks is melting. The Jeep started on the first try. These are the signs.

At the brewery, we're transitioning from winter to spring production. The winter warmer and coffee stout are winding down, and we're prepping the spring lineup — the hefeweizen again, a new pale ale, and something light and citrusy that I'm still developing. Brewing follows seasons the way farming follows seasons: you make what the weather demands, what the people want, what the calendar dictates. There's comfort in the cycle.

Megan is packing up her Wauwatosa apartment in stages. Every weekend she brings a few more boxes to Bay View. Books, mostly. She has more books than any person I've ever met. We're going to need a bookshelf. We're going to need three bookshelves. The apartment is getting tighter. We don't care.

April pierogi challenge: spinach and feta. Greek-inspired, which would horrify Babcia on principle, but the combination works. Fresh spinach wilted with garlic, mixed with crumbled feta, a squeeze of lemon juice. Light, bright, the kind of filling that makes you think spring even when it's thirty-eight degrees outside. I brought some to work and the head brewer — a man who has eaten my pierogi for five years and never offered a compliment beyond "good" — said, "These are interesting." From him, "interesting" is a standing ovation.

Tom called to tell me the deck needs restaining. He's already planning summer projects. Tom plans summer projects in March because winter has beaten him down and he needs something to look forward to. He asked if I'd help. I said yes. We'll spend a Saturday with sandpaper and stain and not much conversation and it will be one of the best days of the year. That's how it works with Tom and me. The work is the conversation.

The spinach and feta pierogi got devoured before I could even think about dinner — the head brewer’s “interesting” basically guaranteed that outcome. But the flavor combination stuck with me: that wilted garlic spinach, bright and a little lemony, exactly right for the season we’re edging into. This tilapia dish scratches the same itch. Same spinach, same garlic, same sense that spring is close enough to cook toward even when it’s still technically coat weather outside.

Tilapia with Sauteed Spinach

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets (about 6 oz each)
• 5 oz fresh baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon, halved (one half juiced, one half sliced for serving)
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Season the fish. Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning evenly over both sides of each fillet.
2. Sear the tilapia. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fillets and cook for 3—4 minutes per side, until the fish is golden and flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Saute the spinach. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter to the same skillet. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
4. Wilt the greens. Add the spinach in two or three handfuls, tossing as each addition wilts down. Cook for 2—3 minutes total until all the spinach is wilted and tender. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
5. Plate and serve. Divide the sauteed spinach among four plates. Rest a tilapia fillet on top of each portion. Garnish with lemon slices and crumbled feta if using. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 240 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 370mg