Tilapia Patties with Tahini

I was having one of my guilt trips over not eating fish.  I was also trying to use up eggs, so this happened.

I was pleasantly surprised that these patties mostly took on the flavor of the fresh vegetables.  I did use home-grown celery, which has far more flavor than what you buy at the market.  All the randomly sized vegetables from the garden required some adjustment for the published recipe.

You could have these with any sauce, or just a squeeze of lemon, but the tahini does complement it well.  With a side of roasted squash and fresh green beans from the garden, this was a light and summery meal.

4 tilapia fillets (about 1 lb)
*1 stalk celery, chopped
*3-4 green onions, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
salt and white pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/3 C flour or 1/2 C breadcrumbs
*2 eggs
oil for frying

1.  Start by poaching the fish.  Fill a skillet or saucepan with water to barely cover the fillets.  Bring to just below a simmer.  You do not want to boil the fish.  Cook until tilapia is translucent and flakes apart, about 10 minutes.  Drain, then flake into a bowl.

2.  Run celery, green onions, and carrot through the food processor until well processed, but not quite a paste.  I used the leaves from my celery, and they made a nice difference.  You could add 1/4 C parsley for the same effect.

3.  Add vegetables to the bowl.  Sprinkle in salt, white pepper, paprika, and the flour.  Stir to distribute evenly.  Lightly beat the eggs and add to the mix.  It should not be watery.

4.  Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Add about 2 Tb oil, enough to coat the bottom, and allow it to heat until drops of water pop.

5.  Scoop 1/4 C mounds of fish mixture onto the skillet.  Press down lightly to distribute.  Fry until golden and easily release from the bottom, about 5 minutes.  Flip and cook the other side.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, re-oil the pan, and repeat with all the mixture.  You should get around 12 patties.

Tahini sauce

1/4 C tahini paste
1 Tb olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1/4 C lemon juice
salt to taste

1.  Whisk together all ingredients.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

2.  If a thinner sauce is desired, add water a tablespoon at a time.  Refrigerate any unused sauce.

Serve patties hot, with tahini for drizzling or dipping

Difficulty rating  :)