Fish and Tofu Ole!

I was watching Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffman the other day when she made this fantastic looking fish and rice recipe. I decided we had to try it. I altered mine by marinating tofu and baking it over the rice instead of the tilapia. It turned out absolutely fantastic and is hardly any work at all. The timing works out perfectly because the fish/tofu takes the same time to marinate as the rice does to cook. Then, you just have to bake the rice and protein together for about 30 minutes. And, the nice thing is that you have protein, fruit, vegetables, and grains all wrapped into one dish. We forgot to mix the salsa into the rice before baking as the recipe instructs, so we just topped our portions with it. It tasted wonderful both with and without the addition of the salsa. We will definitely be making this meal again!


Baked Costa Rican-Style Tilapia with Pineapples, Black Beans, and Rice (Simply Delicioso, Ingrid Hoffman)

1 cup long-grain rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable boullion)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (5 to 7 oz.) tilapia filets, rinsed and patted dry (or tofu slices)
2 cups jarred or homemade tomato salsa
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
2 limes, thinly sliced

1. Combine the rice and chicken broth in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed all of the liquid, about 20 minutes
2. Preheat the oven to 400.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, oil, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the garlic, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Add the tilapia fillets to the marinade, turning to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
4. Stir together the cooked rice, salsa, beans, pineapple, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the cilantro in a 2 or 3-quart baking dish. Remove the tilapia from the marinade, reserve the marinade, and lay the fish fillets over the rice mixture, overlapping if necessary. Pour the reserved marinade over the fish. Shingle the lime slices over the fish. Bake until the fish flakes easily, is opaque, and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.