Tilapia with White Wine and Lemon Basil Sauce

By Tbird

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tbl lemon juice
• 2 tbl Butter
• 4 fillets Tilapia fresh
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• White Wine and Lemon Basil Sauce (recipe follows)

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation:
Prep Work:
Place flour in a plate and set aside.

Rince and pat fish fillets with a paper towel, season both sides of fillet with salt and pepper and let stand until fillets are glistening with moisture, about 5 minutes.

Make the White Wine Sauce -- do it now while the fish is resting. (Following are the directions for the sauce)

Coat the Fish: Coat both sides of fillet with flour and shake off excess and place them on a separate plate or paper towel, preferably in one single layer.

Sauté the Fish: Heat 2 Tablespoons of the Olive Oil, 2 Tbl lemon juice, and 2 Tbl Butter over high heat in a large non-stick skillet until oil is shimmering, but not smoking. Place the fillets in a single layer and immediately reduce heat to medium-high.

** Depending on the size of your skillet and the amount of fish your making, you'll have to add more butter and lemon juice and saute the fillets in batches.

Without moving the fish, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on each side and until the edges of fillet are opaque and bottoms are lightly browned. Use the "fish spatula" to gently flip fillets.
At the last minute of cooking, pour the sauce over the fish to warm it up. Serve immediately.



White Wine and Lemon Basil Sauce

1 tablespoon Olive Oil with some lemon juice (5 drops) added.
1 Small Yellow Onion, cut diagonally, to form rings.
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbl brandy (plain)
2 tablespoons butter
5 or 6 leaves fresh Basil, cut crosswise with scissors to make thin strips.
4 Tbl lemon juice

In a sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the Olive Oil over medium heat.

Sauté onions until softened and beginning to color, about 1 1/2 minutes

Add wine and brandy, increase heat to high and bring to boil, boil until reduced to 1/4 cup -- about 3-5 minutes. Remove sauce pan from burner and pour into another container, such as a bowl or a 4 cup measuring cup.

Whisk in butter and Basil – and the lemon juice.

Set aside and keep warm until the fish is done.