Happia Tilapia

Submitted by CoolMonday

"I played around with this one for a long time. Tried different ethnicity and different methods of cooking. I am very happy with the recipe I finally perfected. It is mostly Asian in flavor with a little bit of Thai thrown in. The white wine I used is Fetzer's Gewurztraminer."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 32
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 118.29 ml raisins
• 59.14 ml apricot flavored white wine
• 118.29 ml dried apricot, pressed down, divided
• 29.58 ml brown sugar, packed
• 1.23 ml vanilla
• 1.23 ml cinnamon
• 14.79 14.79 ml olive oil or 14.79 ml vegetable oil
• 14.79 ml unsalted butter
• 59.14 ml chopped carrot
• 118.29 ml chopped celery
• 118.29 ml scallion, sliced thin (or onions chopped)
• 4.92 ml garlic, minced
• 29.58 ml wine, from the raisins
• 29.58 ml soy sauce
• 29.58 ml plum sauce (or other sweet Asian sauce)
• 4.92 ml oyster sauce
• 453.59 g tilapia fillet, cut into chunks
• 226.79 g shrimp, cooked shell and tail removed, rough chop
• 283.49 g package frozen chopped spinach (thaw and drain)
• 4.92 ml lemon pepper (or 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp lemon)
• 118.29 ml plain fine breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

• SAUCE SWEET AND SOUR SPICY

• 1 of the chopped boiled apricot
• 118.29 ml brown sugar, packed
• 59.14 ml apple cider vinegar
• 29.58 ml wine, from raisins
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 59.16 ml water, from apricots soak (or use apricot nectar)
• 59.16 ml catsup
• 29.58 ml plum sauce (or other sweet Asian sauce)
• 4.92 ml oyster sauce
• 1.23 ml chili paste (or other spicey product, more can be added if you like it spicier)

directions

1. Pour wine over raisins, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Put apricots in a small sauce pan and cover with water.
3. Bring to boil and simmer until tender (30 - 35 minutes).
4. Drain and reserve liquid if any.
5. Chop apricots and put 1/2 in bowl (reserve other half for sauce).
6. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and raisins.
7. Set aside.
8. Preheat oven to 325.
9. Heat a skillet, and add oil and butter.
10. Saute carrot, celery and scallions for 3 minutes.
11. Add garlic and stir in for 1 minute.
12. Stir in wine, soy sauce, plum sauce, oyster sauce.
13. Stir in tilapia and saute until cooked (about 3-5 minutes).
14. Tilapia should flake apart.
15. Stir in spinach until well blended.
16. Add lemon pepper and stir in shrimp until heated.
17. Put into bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
18. Mix in breadcrumbs, egg, and the raisin apricot mixture.
19. Make balls about 1-1 1/2 inch in diameter.
20. About 20 balls.
21. Place on well oiled baking sheet.
22. Bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly browned.
23. Make sauce while these are baking.
24. SAUCE.
25. Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to boil.
26. Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
27. Be sure to test with the hot sauce so it is to your liking.
28. Serve tilapia balls with sauce over rice.

Reviews

[Bon24]

Fantastic!!! Great blend of flavors & really not hard to do (don't get shook over the long list of ingredients). The aroma was enticing. I served this to friends last night & got rave reviews. (In fact one of my friends just called me & remarked on how wonderful they were,again) One friend preferred them without the sauce. Thanks Cool Monday!

 

[Susie D]

WOW! DH & I loved this one! The flavors are just incredible...tart, sweet, tangy, spicy, a treat in every bite. The fish & shrimp mixture is easy to work with. The texture is right for forming into balls, not too mushy or too stiff. I ended up with 24 balls. I do think they are tasty enough to stand alone, but the sauce really adds that something special...I plan to increase the amounts next time so we have more to cover the rice. What a terrific job CoolMonday!! This is a wonderful use of contest ingredients for RSC #6.