Sautéed Tilapia with Tomato Mélange Relish

Tilapia is a very tender, flaky white fish with a somewhat neutral flavor that adapts well to seasoning and sauces. Or, in this case, a tomato relish. I call it a “mélange” because of the various ingredients that I use.

The last time I made this, I had a jar of pickled bell peppers that added the perfect zing to the relish. If pickled peppers aren’t available, use diced green and/or red bell peppers instead. I would roast them first and char off the skins.

Adding calamata olives adds saltiness to the combination of sweet-sour pickles, the acidity of the tomatoes, and the sweetness of the honey. And of course, the onions turn sweet in the butter.

Ingredients

• TOMATOES, 3 medium Maui or Vidalia, seeded and diced
• ONION, 1 large, chopped
• CELERY, 2 stalks, diced
• PICKLED PEPPERS, ¼ cup (more, or less, to your liking), chopped
• CALAMATA OLIVES, 10, seeded, chopped
• HONEY, 1 tablespoon
• GARLIC SALT, to taste
• BLACK PEPPER, freshly ground, to taste
• TILAPIA FILETS, 4 to 6
• SEASONED SALT, to taste
• OLIVE OIL, about 1 tablespoon each for the relish and the fish
• BUTTER, 3 tablespoons for the relish, 2 tablespoons for the fish

Directions

1. First, make the relish. Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a large pan.
2. Cook the onions over medium heat until soft but not browned.
3. Add the celery, tomatoes, pickled peppers and olives and heat through.
4. Add the honey, garlic salt and black pepper.
5. Heat through and set aside.
6. Next, sauté the tilapia; season the filets with the seasoned salt.
7. In a clean large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and butter until it’s melted.
8. On medium heat, brown one side of the filet, then flip over and brown the other side.
9. Serve the fish over a bed of tomato relish.