posts may contain Amazon affiliate links, which earn me a small commission when you buy (but doesn't cost you anything extra). Occasionally I receive free products and/or run sponsored posts—this will always be stated clearly in the post. Thank you for supporting this blog.

This website contains some quotations, excerpts, and screen clips from copyrighted material. These uses fall well within the copyright doctrine of "Fair Use".
Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Tilapia and Sardines in Creamy Asparagus Sauce over Confetti Couscous #FFFMysteryBox

Tilapia and Sardines in Creamy Asparagus Sauce over Confetti Couscous
FYI, this basket would have gotten me chopped.

Today I'm sharing a recipe with you a bit reluctantly. It's actually the result of a mystery box challenge that I'm doing with a few other bloggers, "Chopped" style. The way it works is, we drew names out of a hat (well, one of us did - we arranged it virtually), then mailed our assigned blogger a box of three (or four) random ingredients. We then had to take our ingredients and turn them into one cohesive dish.

I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty pumped to tackle my basket—until I actually received it, that is. I was stumped. It's a good thing I didn't have only 20 or 30 minutes to create something, or I would have turned in an empty plate. I kid you not, I went round and round and back and forth with this. My three ingredients just did NOT want to play nicely together. Curling up in a ball and rocking back forth sounded better than anything I could come up with.

Before I go any further, I should tell you what I received from Ashley of Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen: sardines in Harissa, asparagus pesto, and dried dragonfruit. Separately I could think of all sorts of awesome ways to use them. I even came up with a few flashes of brilliance using two of them together...but all three? Uh, no. I even sent out a call for help, asking people on Facebook what they would make with those ingredients.

The general consensus was that they would order take-out. I also asked on Instagram and heard crickets (but it did get a "♥" from Chopped judge Donatella Arpaia). So, I fretted and pondered for another week and a half before just going for something. Last night. Like, literally 13 hours ago. I'd had the ingredients for more than a month.

How did it taste? Well, remember I said I would've been chopped. I really didn't love the flavors together. Each part of the dish was okay on its own, but not my favorite together. But hey, at least I didn't give up. Gotta get chopped trying, not quitting. (So yeah, make this at your own risk. I included the recipe because I wanted to show you how I used my ingredients, but...)

Tilapia and Sardines in Creamy Asparagus Sauce over Confetti Couscous
Tilapia and sardines smothered in a creamy coconut asparagus sauce, set over a bed of confetti couscous.
Print Friendly and PDF
Tilapia and Sardines in Creamy Asparagus Sauce over Confetti Couscous
by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Keywords: entree pescetarian

Ingredients (serves 2)
    for the couscous:
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
    • 3/4 cup couscous
    • 4 ounces cooked asparagus, cut into small pieces
    • 1/4 cup chopped dried dragon fruit
    • 1/4 cup salted, roasted sunflower seeds + more to garnish
    • 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
    • salt
    • black pepper
    for the fish and sauce:
    • 1 (4 ounce) tin sardines in Harissa
    • 2 (4 ounce) tilapia fillets
    • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
    • 2 tablespoons asparagus pesto
    • salt
    • black pepper
    Instructions
    making the couscous:
    Combine water, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, put on the lid and remove from heat; let sit 5 minutes.

    Fluff with a fork, then gently fold in the rest of the ingredients until distributed evenly. Set aside while you make the fish and sauce.

    making the fish and sauce:
    Season the tilapia with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet large enough to hold both tilapia fillets over medium-high heat. Once hot, pour in about 2 tablespoons of harissa oil from the sardine tin. Carefully set the tilapia fillets into the hot oil, presentation side down; cook until lightly golden on each side and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes total. Drain as much oil from the skillet as you can.

    Carefully set the sardines into the pan, around the tilapia, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway, until heated through.

    Stir together the coconut milk and asparagus pesto, then add to the skillet. Let it bubble up for a minute, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

    to serve:
    Divide the couscous among two plates, then carefully set a piece of tilapia on each plate. Pour the sauce over the tilapia, making sure to divide the sardines evenly among the plates. Sprinkle with a few extra sunflower seeds.
    Serve immediately.

    the items I received in my mystery box
    So tell me, what would YOU have made with the mystery box I received?

    Curious to see what the other FFF Mystery Box bloggers got in their boxes? I sent a mystery box to Matt from Nomageddon, but here's the whole list of other bloggers and their creations. Drop by and check them out - see what they created in their kitchens. Pretty sure I'm still chopped first.