Grilled Tilapia with Watermelon Salsa

It's awful and wonderful to be back from a two week vacation.  Awful because my vacation was so perfect I didn't want it to end.  Wonderful because I missed my real life, and real life in July in Minneapolis is AWESOME.  We are so lucky - abundant farmer's markets, great restaurants (and Restaurant Week), deck parties with friends, and fun people (the aforementioned friends).  And if it gets hot, just throw on a suit and head to one of the many local beaches like I did last weekend, and yesterday, and today.

I knew I had really missed my kitchen when, within 18 hours of arriving home, I had made:  a half gallon of yogurt, a quart of almond milk, 4 pints of refrigerator pickles, and an enormous ramen noodle salad with an absolute truckload of veggies in a spicy almond butter sauce (I happily ate the salad over the course of three days and never once thought to take a photo for the blog.  Pity, because it was quite delicious and nutritious).

Thank goodness I had my head on straight and camera ready tonight because this grilled tilapia with watermelon salsa was fantastic.  I  went to the co-op looking for halibut or cod, but the only white fish they had was tilapia.  Tilapia is not my favorite fish, sometimes I think it can taste dirty.  But the price was right, and the filets came ready to cook, so I took my chances.

I'm glad I did.  The tilapia was delicious.  With the salsa, it was salty, spicy, and sweet, all together a good combination.  Plus, I just always get a kick out of eating a mostly pink dinner, it just makes me unexplainably happy.  I served my fish and salsa with quick zucchini saute and it was a light and refreshing yet satisfying dinner.

Grilled Tilapia with Watermelon Salsa, from Serious Eats
Serves 2

2 cups finely diced fresh watermelon
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
juice from 1/2 lime
handful cilantro, chopped
salt

2 filets of white fish (cod, halibut, tilapia, etc)

olive oil, salt, and pepper

Mix all your salsa ingredients together and let the flavors marinate together for a few minutes (or overnight if you want to make it ahead).

Heat your grill or grill pan and lightly brush with oil. Season fish with oil, salt, and pepper and grill over medium high heat for 4 minutes on each side, or until it flakes with a fork.  Tilapia can be delicate so if you're grilling outdoors you may want to use one of those grilling baskets so you don't lose some fish into the coals.

Serve topped with watermelon salsa.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Baby Food
TWO YEARS AGO:  Refrigerator Pickles
THREE YEARS AGO:  Collard Wrap