Smoky Paprika Tilapia with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Smoky Paprika Tilapia with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. This is the fish dish you need in your life.
Things to know:
What is tilapia?
Tilapia is a popular, mild-flavored freshwater fish, known for being a good source of lean protein, vitamins, and minerals like selenium and B12, while being low in calories and fat. Native to Africa and the Middle East, it’s now farmed globally and is versatile for cooking methods like baking, pan-frying, and broiling, often prepared with simple seasonings like garlic, lemon, and herbs. Its mild taste and firm texture make it a popular and accessible seafood option.
What is smoked paprika?
Smoked paprika, or pimentón de la Vera, is a vibrant red spice made from peppers smoked over oak wood, providing a deep, woodsy, and smoky flavor without heat. It is essential for Spanish cuisine, adding intense aroma to paella, roasted potatoes, and stews. Available in sweet, bittersweet, or hot varieties, it is also a rich, natural coloring agent for dishes.
What’s the difference between paprika and smoked paprika?
The primary difference is that smoked paprika (often called pimentón) is made from peppers dried over oak smoke, giving it an intense smoky flavor, while regular paprika is dried with air, providing a mild, sweet, or earthy flavor mostly used for color. Smoked paprika is commonly used to add a grilled depth to dishes, whereas regular paprika is often used for color.
What is alder wood?
Alder wood is a premier, mild hardwood ideal for smoking fish, particularly salmon, as well as poultry, pork, and delicate cheeses. It produces a light, slightly sweet, and neutral smoke that enhances food without overpowering it, making it a staple for Pacific Northwest-style smoking. It burns clean and is suitable for both hot and cold smoking.
Can you make roasted red bell peppers at home?
Roasted red bell peppers are a versatile, sweet, and smoky ingredient made by charring peppers until the skin blisters and the flesh is tender. They are easily roasted in a 450°F oven for 20-30 minutes, over a gas flame, or on a grill. After roasting, steaming them in a bowl or bag for 10-20 minutes makes them easy to peel.
Ingredients:
10 tilapia fillets
1 T smoked paprika
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 t salt
1 t pepper
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
1 jar fire roasted red bell peppers, drained
2 T garlic, minced
2 T roasted onion paste
1 T Spiceology’s Tomatador seasoning
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 T lemon juice
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1. Fire up your smoker to 225F using a mild flavored pellet mix such as alderwood.
2. In a small bowl mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Place your fillets on a wire rack, spray them on both sides with olive oil, then generously season with your spice mix.
4. Chuck the tilapia, on the wire rack into your smoker and smoked for 45-60 minutes, or until the fillets have an internal temperature of 145F.
5. While tilapia is smoking, make the sauce. In a blender, combine the sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth.
6. Remove the tilapia fillets, top with the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, serve and ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640S Smoker
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