In article >, "CaptCook" >
wrote:

> "Melba's Jammin'" wrote ...
> > Actually we say "pretty good" instead of "not bad." It's about
> attitude
> > and being positive. :-)
>
> Being from Ah-Wah and learning to speak Minni it seems that "pretty
> good" means surprisingly acceptable and "not bad" is praise.

Yes, yes. I an see I need to review my text.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Sweet Potato Follies added 2/24/05.
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in message
news
>
> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> >
>> That's funny--I was just going to say that the texture is much finer and
>> more tender than catfish. Catfish has a stronger taste also. I love
>> tilapia, the feel in the mouth,very tender and moist. I use a non-stick
>> pan, clarify a smidge of butter in the microwave, sprinkle the fish with
>> kosher salt and pepper, put the clear portion of the butter in a medium
> heat
>> pan, then the fish and cook the fish maybe 3? minutes per side. The
> butter
>> is for flavor only as there isn't near enough butter to cover the bottom
> of
>> the pan--just enough for the pieces to capture a little bit as they slip
>> into the pan. Usual sides would be pilaf and broccoli. Any sauce or
> other
>> foods in the meal that have a strong taste would overwhelm the flavor of
> the
>> fish.
>> Janet
>
> Thank you Janet, this is very interesting. All the tilapia I've seen in
> stores has been very thin. What would you say is the best thickness?
>
> Charlie
>
Hi Charles,
1/2 to 5/8 inch. The pieces are small and thin. (Similar to an inland lake
perch filet.) Sometimes, if the rest of the meal isn't coming along as fast
as the fish, I will turn the fish over and turn off the heat under the pan.
I use a heavy pan, not cast iron, but similar. The residual heat is enough
to cook the second side of the fish.
Janet

In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> In article >,
> Katra > wrote:
> (snip)
> > > > > Right now I just need to get it on my plate, cooked. I don't need
> > > > > flavor right now.
> > >
> > > > Ok Barb,
> > >
> > > > What is going on that you don't care if your fish tastes good?
> > > > That's not like you!
> > >
> > > Sez you. It doesn't have to "taste good." It has to not taste bad.
> > > Not the same thing. What I prepared didn't taste bad. In
> > > Meen-a-soh-ta we say, "Not bad."
> >
> > Ok. I was just worried... :-)
> >
> > I love your posts!
>
> Thanks. I'm even more fun in person. Ask Victor, and Michael and
> Goomba and Margaret and Damsel. :-) Will you feel better if I tell
> you we're having turkey tonight? With gravy. And brown rice. And
> salad. And broccoli. Goody goody yum yum yum.

Nifty! :-)

I made a pot of brown rice earlier today with chicken broth, thin sliced
carrots, celery, onions and straw mushrooms. I plan to add some chopped
cold leftover chicken, more onion, poblano chile and a can of salt free
peas.

I'll sautee the onion and fresh poblano chile in some butter and olive
oil first before adding the rest to the pan.....

Gonna make cheese sauce for that brocolli? <eg>

I like to serve brocolli with a little bit of dill butter with poppy
seeds.


I'd love to get together with some list members for a cooking spree! Or
a potluck/cookout....... ;-)

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

There is no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again. -- Swami Beyondanada

>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> Katra > wrote:
> (snip)
>
>>
>>I love your posts!
>
>
> Thanks. I'm even more fun in person. Ask Victor, and Michael and
> Goomba and Margaret and Damsel. :-) Will you feel better if I tell
> you we're having turkey tonight? With gravy. And brown rice. And
> salad. And broccoli. Goody goody yum yum yum.


Yes, that she is. A lot of fun, but she has her serious side, too.
And, as I had the privilege to experience several times, she is the
very best house guest someone could have. When she visits, it's good
to be me.

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
> >
> Hi Charles,
> 1/2 to 5/8 inch. The pieces are small and thin. (Similar to an inland
lake
> perch filet.) Sometimes, if the rest of the meal isn't coming along as
fast
> as the fish, I will turn the fish over and turn off the heat under the
pan.
> I use a heavy pan, not cast iron, but similar. The residual heat is
enough
> to cook the second side of the fish.
> Janet

Thank you again! This is very useful. I think what I have been seeing at the
supermarket is thinner than that. I think I had better check the tilapia
stock in one of the fish markets here.

I used to eat quite a bit of freshwater perch! I had quite forgotten about
it. I'd like to try it again!

Charlie

Charles Gifford wrote:
> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> ...
>>>
>> Hi Charles,
>> 1/2 to 5/8 inch. The pieces are small and thin. (Similar to an
>> inland lake perch filet.) Sometimes, if the rest of the meal isn't
>> coming along as fast as the fish, I will turn the fish over and turn
>> off the heat under the pan. I use a heavy pan, not cast iron, but
>> similar. The residual heat is enough to cook the second side of the
>> fish.
>> Janet
>
> Thank you again! This is very useful. I think what I have been seeing
> at the supermarket is thinner than that. I think I had better check
> the tilapia stock in one of the fish markets here.
>
> I used to eat quite a bit of freshwater perch! I had quite forgotten
> about it. I'd like to try it again!
>
> Charlie

Well, I just bought 3 gutted, scales on tilapia at the Asian store. I'm
going to experiment. (I've only just bought fillets before.) These have
heads on and all. I will make stock from the heads, but I'm clueless on the
meat. It was just so dang inexpensive! Under $1.00 USD a pound! How can
you compete with that? You just buy it. We did. Now what?

kili

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> ...
>> >
>> Hi Charles,
>> 1/2 to 5/8 inch. The pieces are small and thin. (Similar to an inland
> lake
>> perch filet.) Sometimes, if the rest of the meal isn't coming along as
> fast
>> as the fish, I will turn the fish over and turn off the heat under the
> pan.
>> I use a heavy pan, not cast iron, but similar. The residual heat is
> enough
>> to cook the second side of the fish.
>> Janet
>
> Thank you again! This is very useful. I think what I have been seeing at
> the
> supermarket is thinner than that. I think I had better check the tilapia
> stock in one of the fish markets here.
>
> I used to eat quite a bit of freshwater perch! I had quite forgotten about
> it. I'd like to try it again!
>
> Charlie
>
The pieces that I've seen at the grocery store are the smaller ones. I get
my tilapia at Costco and the pieces there are more handsome in size and
looks. All my tilapia is frozen right now, but I think 1/2 inch is o.k.
Even with the smaller pieces, I would think the trick would be not to
overcook.
Janet

"Kilikini" > wrote in message
m...
snip>
> Well, I just bought 3 gutted, scales on tilapia at the Asian store. I'm
> going to experiment. (I've only just bought fillets before.) These have
> heads on and all. I will make stock from the heads, but I'm clueless on
> the meat. It was just so dang inexpensive! Under $1.00 USD a pound! How
> can you compete with that? You just buy it. We did. Now what?
>
> kili
I would bone them and make fillets. Then you can cook them in a pan on
stove top. Or stuff and bake them. In their current form, they won't cook
evenly, quickly enough to protect the tender meat.
Janet

Janet Bostwick wrote:
> "Kilikini" > wrote in message
> m...
> snip>
>> Well, I just bought 3 gutted, scales on tilapia at the Asian store. I'm
>> going to experiment. (I've only just bought fillets before.) These have
>> heads on and all. I will make stock from the heads, but
>> I'm clueless on the meat. It was just so dang inexpensive! Under
>> $1.00 USD a pound! How can you compete with that? You just buy it.
>> We did. Now what? kili
> I would bone them and make fillets. Then you can cook them in a pan
> on stove top. Or stuff and bake them. In their current form, they
> won't cook evenly, quickly enough to protect the tender meat.
> Janet

You're right, Janet. Thank you!

kili

Janet Bostwick > wrote in message
...
> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> > jmcquown > wrote in message
. ..
[snip]
> > > The texture is a lot like catfish or flounder.
> > >
> > Firmer; much more [than] catfish or flounder.
> >
> That's funny--I was just going to say that the texture is much
> finer and more tender than catfish. Catfish has a stronger taste
> also.

Hmmm. The tilapia filets I purchase are beauties but nowhere near as
soft in texture or delicate in taste as catfish. Of course, I'm not
fishing for my catfish filets usually, so the farmed variety are even
more vanilla-like than the tilapia filets.

The few times I've been shocked by the taste of catfish: fishing the
Monogahila circa 1972. (*Those* were gamy! And no amount of milk could
get the taste out!) Same with some channel cats I landed (finally) out
of the Delta (Sacratomato area) circa 1982. Biggest fresh water fish
I've ever caught! Have also warned by my southern relatives that catfish
caught along the Mississippi are likely to taste pretty strong.

> I love tilapia, the feel in the mouth, very tender and moist.

Oh, I agree that I like the mouth-feel and taste! It's why I don't use
strong herbs and spices to mask them; it's unnecessary. That's all you
taste because the entire filet picks up the entire essence of what you
are using. I also usually just bake or poach my tilapia. I'd compare it
to roughie filets I've had, only _a_ _lot_ (often US$13.00) cheaper.

The Ranger

Food For Thought > wrote in message
oups.com...
> > willing to prostitute itself to whatever spice you add.
> > I'd recommend staying away from the ginger. That'll
> > overpower this simple fish
> >
> Make up your mind. ;-)

I will, I will... I like to keep it simple and fresh julienned ginger
would need something more than scallions to keep from dominating the
fish. Remember, I called it "fish-chicken." You don't need a lot of
spices to make chicken taste good, and strong spicing tends to mask
things, and this fish doesn't need masking.


> Tilapia, to me, is the TOFU of fish. It sucks up whatever
> you lay on it. Don't want it to taste like garlic? Don't add it.
> Same with any seasoning. I love this fish sauteed in butter,
> splash of wine. Lemon, salt and pepper. Simple. Taste that
> sweet flesh.

I tend to poach it in a sweet late harvest with a mild salt dusting,
couple grinds of cracked pepper. The few times I've added rosemary,
ginger, or even onions, the fish absorbed the herbs' essenses and that's
all we could taste. SWMBO requested I not to use so much ginger on my
next attempt. <shrug>

The Ranger

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Janet Bostwick > wrote in message
> ...
>> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
> ...
>> > jmcquown > wrote in message
> . ..
> [snip]
>> > > The texture is a lot like catfish or flounder.
>> > >
>> > Firmer; much more [than] catfish or flounder.
>> >
>> That's funny--I was just going to say that the texture is much
>> finer and more tender than catfish. Catfish has a stronger taste
>> also.
>
> Hmmm. The tilapia filets I purchase are beauties but nowhere near as
> soft in texture or delicate in taste as catfish. Of course, I'm not
> fishing for my catfish filets usually, so the farmed variety are even
> more vanilla-like than the tilapia filets.
snip
> The Ranger
I was puzzled by your description of tilapia as not being as soft or
delicate as catfish because in my experience the reverse is true.
Apparently there are 14 species of tilapia, ranging in length from 4-12
inches. Several of these species are cultivated for fish farming. The
difference in species may account for the filet size available in different
areas as well as the taste of the meat and coarseness of the flesh. The
individual species exhibit a wide tolerance to varying water conditions as
well. So, my tilapia may not be your tilapia ;o} (I imagine that also
applies to catfish.) Anyway, the tilapia available to me at my Costco out
here in the west are filets about 6-7 inches in length. My grocery stores
tend to carry smaller filets. Interesting fish. . .some build nests and
others raise their brood in the mouth, sometimes both mom and pop handle
this task.

Gotta get going, the honey rye flake mixture for the bread is done soaking
and is ready to move on. Pork loin and something and something for dinner.

Janet

"Don Gray" > wrote in message
...
> In message "The Ranger" > wrote:
snip
What I'd like to know is; where is its country of origin. It looks
> like a pretty insipid fish, but then we are used to cod and haddock, plain
> or
> smoked. They are extremely tasty and can be used for the basis of many
> fish
> dishes. We also have many more plain tasting fish such as sole, lemon sole
> and skate etc. plus another large number of sea species.
>
> --
> Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

http://www.aboutseafood.com/dictionary/tilapia.html

"Kilikini" > wrote in message
m...
> Janet Bostwick wrote:
>> "Kilikini" > wrote in message
>> m...
>> snip>
>>> Well, I just bought 3 gutted, scales on tilapia at the Asian store. I'm
>>> going to experiment. snip
> kili
Kili, don't eat the skin. According to an article I just read, the skin is
bitter. http://www.aboutseafood.com/dictionary/tilapia.html
Janet

Janet Bostwick wrote:
> "Kilikini" > wrote in message
> m...
>> Janet Bostwick wrote:
>>> "Kilikini" > wrote in message
>>> m...
>>> snip>
>>>> Well, I just bought 3 gutted, scales on tilapia at the Asian
>>>> store. I'm going to experiment. snip
>> kili
> Kili, don't eat the skin. According to an article I just read, the
> skin is bitter. http://www.aboutseafood.com/dictionary/tilapia.html
> Janet

I would never eat the skin anyway. Not on any fish.

kili

Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> Thanks. I'm even more fun in person. Ask Victor, and Michael and
> Goomba and Margaret and Damsel. :-)

Hah! You are a fake and a fraud! You refused to show me your famous
beet tattoo!

Bubba

Kilikini wrote:

> I would never eat the skin anyway. Not on any fish.

You're missing out; salmon skin rolls are yummy.

Bob