Broiled Tilapia with Garlic Aioli and Carrot Puree

This is a light meal that doesn't skimp on flavor. Garlic aioli is one of my favorite condiments, and I like to make a batch and keep it on hand in the fridge. It's great on bread, as a topping for baked potatoes, or simply as a dipping sauce for your favorite veggies. Don't forget to make it ahead of time! It needs at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

I served this with the rest of the asparagus from my recent farmers market venture. The asparagus I broiled with some of my Tuscan herb olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. For color and a bit of sweetness to counter act all the garlicky goodness, I also made a simple carrot puree (recipe below). When making the puree, feel free to adjust the salt and brown sugar to your taste. Depending on the carrots, you may need a little more!

Broiled Tilapia with Garlic Aioli

Ingredients:

1/2 c mayonnaise (I prefer the olive oil based mayo)

1/2 lemon, juiced (approx. 1/4 c lemon juice)

1/2 tbs stone-ground mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tbs lemon zest

3 tbs finely chopped tarragon

12 oz tilapia, deboned and fileted

olive oil

fresh cracked pepper

parsley and chives for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Whisk together mayo, lemon zuice, mustard, garlic, zest, and tarragon in a small bowl. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Place the top rack in the oven about 8 inches below the broiler. Set the (empty) broiler tray on the rack, and preheat the broiler to high.

Rinse and pat dry the tilapia filets. Brush each side of the filets with olive oil. Once the oven is preheated, place the tilapia in a single layer on the broiler pan and allow to cook for 4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Flip filets over and broil another 2 minutes.

Spread the mayo mixture evenly on the top of each filet, using 1/2-1 tbs per filet. Return to oven and broil another 2 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with fresh cracked pepper. Garnish, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Carrot Puree

Ingredients:

3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small garlic clove

1/2 c water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tbs heavy cream

1 tbs unsalted butter

Directions:

Place carrots, garlic, water, and salt in a 1-quart saucepan. Cover and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Purée mixture with sugar, cream, and butter in a food processor until smooth. Add additional salt and/or sugar to taste. Makes about 3/4 cup of puree.