Tilapia information

1 servings

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Written by Suzanne B. Hall

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SOURCE: THE NATIONAL CULINAR

More and more chefs and their customers caught in the culinary Catch-22 of healthful eating versus food safety are turning to aquaculture. Farm-raised fish provides the lean and healthful entree customers demand without the fear of toxins, pollutants and other contaminants. Catfish is the best known and most popular farm-raised fish, If you're looking for a little variety in your aquaculture offerings, though, consider adding tilapia (pronounced ta-LAH-pee-a) to your menu. Keith Keogh, CEC, AAC, executive chef of Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center, did so more than a decade ago. His customers not only enjoy tilapia in EPCOT's Garden Grill, they also can see it in its created habitat while touring an exhibit in The Land Pavilion sponsored by The Nestle Company. Although relatively unfamiliar to many Americans, tilapia has a long and distinguished history. Native to Africa, it has been cultured widely there and in the Middle East since before King Tut's time. Hieroglyphics show tilapia being pond raised, making it the world's original aquaculture fish. And, Biblical scholars believe tilapia was the fish Jesus served to the multitudes and the species gathered by the Apostle Peter. Hence, it is also known as St Peter's fish. Farm-raised tilapia are fed high protein, grain-based feeds formulated to produce a sweet, lean, white, flaky meat that has as mild a flavor as flounder, sole or orange roughy. Because it has little inherent flavor, it can be served with highly spiced sauces and herbs. Ideal for steaming, frying, broiling, sauteing and adding to soups and stews, its flesh is still firm enough to be grilled. "It's really a beautiful white-fleshed fish," says Keogh. "Its only drawback is its name.

Unfortunately, our other farm-raised fish outsell it 3-to-1, because people just aren't familiar with tilapia. But when they try it, they always like it." Keogh usually offers tilapia as a chef's special, serving it with either a cucumber dill or champagne sauce. Colapia USA, which markets 4- and 6-ounce skinless, boneless tilapia fillets raised in the Andes , mountains of Colombia, South America, provided these other preparation suggestions. (To follow).

Submitted By SHERREE JOHANSSON On 10-14-94

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