Wine Poached Tilapia

Confession time people: I use cooking wine.  I know it seems to be universally acknowledged as horrible, but I have used it time and again in several different recipes and we have always been happy with the results.  I have cooked with regular wine as well, but the problem I run into is that it goes bad so fast.  I don't drink wine, I just use it in my cooking so I can't just drink whatever is left.  And I don't cook with it quite so often that I can polish off a whole bottle in the time before it starts to go.  Cooking wine lasts a lot longer, and it has worked for me.  I can use part of a bottle and set the rest aside for the next time I need it, several weeks or months down the road.  Go ahead, judge and shun, but try this recipe anyway.  You can use whatever wine you want--I won't stop you.

Wine Poached Tilapia

Number of Servings: 2-3
Time to Prepare: 30 minutes

• 3 (4 oz) tilapia fillets
• kosher salt
• pepper
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, diced
• 3/4 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place the tilapia fillets in an 8x8 baking dish and season with salt and pepper.  Place 1 Tbsp butter on top of each fillet, then sprinkle with garlic, basil, and tomato pieces.  Pour the wine into the dish.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove fish to a plate and cover with foil.  Pour remaining sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. (It doesn't really matter if the tomatoes go on the plate with the fish or go into the sauce to be reduced...I usually end up with some of both.)

Pour sauce over fish and serve warm.  (I like to serve this with rice pilaf...recipe coming for that next.)

Source: adapted from allrecipes.com
Produce used: Garlic, grape tomatoes