Chagigah Kitchen: Tilapia Sliders

Happy weekend, Chagigah listeners! August is right around the corner and there’s only so much time to throw that perfect barbeque you’ve been waiting to call the folks in for—what do you tide them over with while the grill’s heating up? Nothing’s worse than a big family with empty bellies, so this week we’ve got a delicious kosher appetizer from Home Cooking The Costco Way for everyone to enjoy before the main course hits the picnic table. Tilapia Sliders are a light fish snack to enjoy before a bigger meal, and the homemade tartar sauce is the key to its tanginess! Prepare and enjoy, and remember to send in your favorite recipes to chagigah@wers.org while listening to the show every Sunday from 8-11AM! Eat on!

Tilapia Sliders 

Tilapia Sliders are delicious to serve as appetizers or as a light meal together with a salad. Adjust the size of the ingredients as listed below to suit the size of the rolls that you are using. The addition of cornmeal and cheese to the fish in the sliders gives this recipe a lot of great taste and firm texture.

Serves: 8 (2 sliders each)

Ingredients:
• ½ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 tilapia fillets, cut into 16 equal pieces – each fillet cut into quarters
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 16 rolls – mini hamburger buns, mini challah rolls, Parker House or Hawaiian rolls, your favorite rolls cut in half
• 4 leaves of romaine lettuce, quartered
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 4 slices of cheddar cheese, cut into quarters (feel free to substitute your favorite type of cheese, whether full or lowfat)

Tangy Tartar Sauce:
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. pickle relish
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk toether milk and eggs. In another medium bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Dunk fillets in milk mixture and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, coating both sides evenly. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add fish to the pan. Cook on one side until light golden brown, about 3 minutes then turn over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan with slotted spatula or spoon and drain on paper towels. To prepare tartar sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients. If desired, place in food processor and pulse until blended, not pureed. Slice the rolls and place a cooked fish fillet on each bottom half. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese and tartar sauce.

Note: Condiments may include mustard, honey mustard, ketchup or barbecue sauce.

By Jamie Loftus

If you liked this, check out:
Chagigah Kitchen: Olive Oil Cake
Chagigah Kitchen:  Summer Brisket