Fish With Sun-Dried Tomato Butter

Step 1: Butter ... I prefer to chop the tomatoes by hand, rather than a food processor. Just mince them as fine as you can, and use the back of the fork to lightly mash them. But use whatever method you want. I also add about 3 tablespoons to my butter, but I would start with 2 if you are not sure. Add them to a bowl along with the butter, shallots, garlic, and basil. Note: Make sure to grate the shallot over the bowl, as the juice is the best part. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2: Fish ... Remove from the refrigerator and drizzle with olive oil on both sides and season with the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Let them rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Step 3: Saute ... To a medium saute pan (I prefer non-stick if possible), add the oil and bring to medium high heat. Add the fish and cook on each side until golden brown. Cooking times are impossible to calculate because of the thickness; however, Tilapia will take about 4 minutes for the first side, and 3-4 for the second side. Once the fish is done, remove to a serving platter and top with a spoon of the chilled butter, cover and let it melt over the fish.

Step 4: Serve ... Plating, I often add the fish to a bed of rice, pasta, or lightly sauteed spinach and then add a bit more butter which makes a nice light sauce. Also, if you want to get 'get fancy' - add the butter to a piece of saran wrap, roll into the shape of a log - twist the ends - shape and freeze. Then, you can slice small rounds to add to the fish. Great for entertaining. But, either way you do it, it makes a fantastic sauce for the fish. ENJOY!