Tilapia stuffed with fresh spinach, sun dried tomatoes and herbs, with a 2009 Korta Carmenere!

Well, I’m back.  It’s been a couple of weeks since I last posted any recipes  - I apologize for the silence! I still have been cooking though, and will be posting a bunch of great new concoctions over the next couple of days – as well as some amazing wines for around ten bucks! 

Came up with this recipe looking for something interesting to do with some Tilapia we had in the fridge.  It is easy, tasty, crunchy and definitely a keeper!  Matched it with what I think is the best find of the year so far, wine wise!

Let’s start with the wine.  I am a HUGE fan of Chilean wine, and boy is this one a keeper. 

Korta - find it, buy it!

KORTA vineyards, in the Lontue Valley was just stocked by a local wine shop.  Several varietals – all for $9.99.  I decided to start with the Carmenere – another favorite grape of mine from Chile. This was a 2009 Barrel Selection Reserve, estate bottled.  The label claimed 12 months in oak.  We popped this baby while making the fish – and YES it’s ok to have red wine with fish.  Carmenere is very similar to a merlot – it’s a nice food wine, and the fish, with the sun dried tomatoes had plenty of taste to stand up to the wine.

Anyway, back to the wine.  It was a nice deep purple/red color - with a great nose in the glass - very smooth, not too much alcohol. The taste was awesome: light tannins, vanilla, cherry, a little herbal tobacco, with a nice subtle oak in the background. It had a really long finish of cherry and vanilla.  This was easily one of the best ten dollar bottles of wine I have ever had – I would favorably compare it to many $25 and up wines we have enjoyed!  Decanted, with the food, the wine showed great complexity, and balance. 

We have since tried several of the other varietals.  I will be reviewing them as well – but I can say this – if you can find this wine -  BUY IT!!  It is a steal at ten bucks!

So, the fish.  This is a food blog after all….lol. This is a super simple recipe – definitely company quality, and done in 20 minutes.  I served it with broccoli and cauliflower (used frozen this time – not awful, but nowhere near as good as the fresh stuff.  It was in the house though….and I didn’t feel like running out to the market.) sautéed with shallots garlic and butter.  This meal was almost as fast as take out, and infinitely tastier!

So, Tilapia stuffed with herbs, spinach and sun dried tomatoes:

Ingredients:

4 Tilapia fillets (about a pound – this serves 4)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small shallot, minced

4 tbs butter

4 sun dried tomatoes, chopped fine

½ cup fresh spinach chopped fine

1 tbs fresh basil, diced

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp Old Bay seasoning

1 ½ tbs Parmesan cheese (the grated kind in the shaker)

1/2 cup Panko Bread crumbs

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small sauté pan, melt 3 tbs butter, and sauté garlic and shallots till translucent – about 4 minutes or so. (one of my favorite smells on earth….) Remove from heat, and spoon out about ½ of the mixture into a small mixing bowl.  Leave the rest in the pan for the veggies.

Fillets ready to cook!

Mix the tomatoes, spinach, spices, cheese and breadcrumbs in with the garlic and shallots, mixing thoroughly.  Melt a tbs of butter and add only as much as you need to make the mixture moist enough to form. 

Cover a baking pan with foil, brush with some of the melted butter, and lay out the fish filets.  Cover each with ¼ of the stuffing mix.  Pour any remaining melted butter over each fillet.  Place in middle rack, bake for about 15 minutes, or until stuffing browns and fish flakes with a fork.

Yum - Enjoy!

While fish is baking, reheat garlic/shallots remaining in the sauté pan over medium high heat.  Sauté about two handfuls of the vegetables, until cooked through. 

Serve with the fish, and enjoy the wine!

Bon Apetit!