Sautéed Tilapia over Swiss Chard with Tarragon Butter

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Serves two.

To learn more, read:
Quick & Delicious Recipes for Springtime
by David Bonom
from Fine Cooking
Issue 71
Last Edit Date: 6/10/2011 10:09:16 AM

Fresh tarragon lends a haunting, delicate anise flavor to mild, quick-cooking tilapia fillets.

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1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. Swiss chard, fibrous stems and ribs discarded; leaves coarsely chopped, washed, and dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 Tbs. unsalted butter (4 Tbs. cut into small pieces)
2 tilapia fillets, 6 oz. each
1 shallot, chopped
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon

Heat the oil in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds. Add a big handful of the Swiss chard and cook, tossing often, until it has collapsed enough to add more. Continue adding the chard in batches until it’s all in the pan and then cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide the chard between two dinner plates, and keep warm.

Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbs. of the butter and let it melt. Sprinkle the tilapia with 1/4 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the tilapia and cook, turning once halfway through cooking, until it’s well browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Top the chard with the tilapia and keep warm.

Add the shallot to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and beginning to soften, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the lemon juice; it should evaporate almost instantly, but if not, cook until nearly evaporated, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the 4 Tbs. butter pieces and tarragon, stirring constantly until the butter melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the butter sauce over the fish and chard and serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Brown Rice with Walnuts and Golden Raisins.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : based on two servings; Calories (kcal): 510; Fat (g): 37; Fat Calories (kcal): 330; Saturated Fat (g): 20; Protein (g): 37; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 13; Carbohydrates (g): 13; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 910; Cholesterol (mg): 160; Fiber (g): 5;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by Onymous, 5/26/2013Always delicious; a staple around here. I used dried tarragon sometimes, adding it in with the shallot.

by KITKAT_1959, 5/10/2012Great recipe. I too cut back on the butter as mentioned and it was perfect. However, I do not appreciate that someone would rate a recipe before even trying it.

by mariangela, 5/9/2012This looks delicious and I intend to try it. But--Discard the stems of the Swiss Chard? How wasteful!

by runwithit, 5/19/2011Lovely, light (if you reduce the butter), and very flavorful weeknight dish. This was my first time cooking with swiss chard--I'm trying to branch out from my typical ingredients--and it was great in this recipe. Made it with the recommended brown rice with walnuts and golden raisins which complimented it perfectly.

by ladypotter, 3/29/2010This was delicious! I wasn't confident that the flavors would marry well, but they were all complimentary. I used 1 1/2 T of butter for the final step, rather than 4. I'm sure it would be best with the full 5 T. butter for 2 servings, but it's just too much for me, so I skimped a bit. Still really good. Be sure and get fish and chard in each bite, as they go so well together. We had baked sweet potatoes on the side.

by sewapel, 5/15/2009

by bakerbeth, 4/19/2009Quick, easy and delicious.