Seared Lemon Pepper Tilapia With Creamy Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Progresso

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Creamy Pumpkin Seed Dressing

• 1⁄4 cup champagne vinegar (or other high-quality white wine vinegar)
• 2  teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1⁄2 shallot, finely chopped
• 2  teaspoons  finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2  egg yolks, from pasteurized eggs
• 1  cup  pumpkin seed oil or 1  cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1  cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1  tablespoon  ice water, if needed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup  pumpkin seeds, toasted lightly in oven

• Tilapia

• 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 2  cups  Progresso® lemon pepper panko crispy bread crumbs
• 6  tilapia fillets, 5 to 6 oz each
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

• Salad

• 3  small  head butter lettuce, washed and dried well, torn
• 1⁄2 cup pomegranate seeds

Directions

1. In food processor, place the vinegar, mustard, shallot, thyme and pasteurized egg yolks. Cover; process until smooth. With the machine running, add the 1 cup pumpkin seed oil and then the 1 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the mixture gets too thick, add the 1 tablespoon ice water. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir in pumpkin seeds. Refrigerate while making tilapia.
2. Place the flour, 2 eggs and the bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow dishes. Dip each fillet in flour then in eggs and finally, dredge on both sides in bread crumbs, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat 2 skillets over high heat. Divide 3 tablespoons olive oil evenly between skillets. When hot, add the fish; reduce heat to medium, and cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Turn fish and cook on the second side until the fish is done throughout (test with a fork), about 4 minutes, depending on thickness.
4. Transfer the fish to 6 individual plates. Garnish with the lemon wedges. Toss the lettuce with a portion of the dressing; divide among plates of fish. Spoon some of the additional dressing over the fish; sprinkle pomegranate seeds over all, and enjoy.
5. Copyright 2010 Michael Chiarello. Recipe provided by Chef Michael Chiarello – June 2010.