Louisiana Recipe: Grilled Tilapia with Artichoke Hearts and Classic French-style Beurre Blanc

Congratulations to Lafayette on our Bayou Bounty Trail. They were recently named “Best Food Town” in the Rand McNally “Best of the Road” competition. Judges were treated to a few of the city’s best restaurants, including Blue Dog Café, who shares with us this mouthwatering recipe. Blue Dog Café is not only known for its amazing menu, but also for the Blue Dog paintings by artist George Rodrigue that adorn the walls.

Ingredients:

• butter
• tilapia filets, 1 per serving
• 2 ounces garlic oil
• 2 ounces white wine
• 31/35 shrimp, peeled and deveined, 4 each
• artichoke hearts, quartered, 4 each
• 6 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked
• garlic, minced
• 4 ounces of your favorite vegetable, blanched
• favorite seasoning blend, to taste
• parsley or tarragon, chopped (optional garnish)

Method of preparation:

Using a medium sauté pan, bring one ounce of butter to medium heat and place tilapia filet in pan. In a second sauté pan, place garlic oil, wine, shrimp and artichoke hearts and bring to a boil. Reduce by half. When ready, turn tilapia over and continue cooking until done. Reserve warm. When wine has reduced to half, stir in two ounces of butter until it is fully melted (this is the buerre blanc). Hold until needed. Briefly warm pasta in boiling water and strain. In a third pan, melt remaining butter and add garlic and vegetables. Use seasoning blend to season to taste. Place pasta on plate and drizzle with a little of the reserved beurre blanc. Place the tilapia on the plate, partially covering pasta. Finish the plate by pouring the remainder of the beurre blanc and artichokes and shrimp on top of the fish. Garnish with chopped parsley or even chopped tarragon.

Recipe courtesy of Louisiana Culinary Trails.