I think we all know how much I love coconut.
You should love it too!
Unless your name is Mr. How Sweet. He hates coconut. He would rather chew nails than eat it, even though he has unknowingly eaten coconut in several recipes I’ve made. Right now he’s probably glaring at the screen, insisting he’s never had it.
It’s true.
I know this sounds tricky—many of you dislike coconut, and even more people don’t care for fish. There are also a few of you who might be recoiling at the idea. But trust me, this is worth trying.
This dish is not sweet—it’s essentially tilapia crusted with coconut and almonds, and it’s one of the best flavor combinations. I admit I went a little heavy on the coconut. Oops.
Any chance I had of tricking Mr. How Sweet into eating this disappeared then. That’s fine—more for me.
It’s very simple to make: dip the tilapia in egg whites, coat with the almond-coconut mixture, then bake.
A few squeezes of lemon finish it perfectly. This tastes like summer and beach weather—exactly what I want right now, since there are six inches of snow outside my window. Do I live in Antarctica?
If you love coconut and almonds but are unsure about fish, try this. It’s great on a salad, with pasta, or alongside brown rice.
I loved this—because I love fish, I love coconut, and mostly I just love food.
Macaroon Crusted Tilapia
Serves 4
4 tilapia fillets
3/4 cup almonds (or about 1/2 cup almond meal)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
If your almonds are whole, pulse them in a food processor until coarsely ground. Combine the almonds (or almond meal) with the shredded coconut. Season the tilapia fillets generously with salt and pepper. Dip each fillet into the egg whites, then press into the almond-coconut mixture to coat. Arrange the coated fillets on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; if you like, lightly mist them with olive oil to encourage browning.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and serve immediately.
No bacon today—thought you could use a break.