Tilapia

Caldo de oso is traditionally made with catfish, though any white fish will work in this soup, a specialty of Chihuahua in Mexico. 

The final touch for this dish is a pour of hot oil over the top, providing an additional flash-fry of aromatic flavor as the oil sizzles over the scallions and ginger.

This rich, flavorful Nigerian dish brings together bold chile heat, the pleasant funk of fermented locust beans and dried shrimp, and a good dose of Old Bay.

An easy herbed butter infuses fish and vegetables with rich flavor in this family-friendly dinner.

An elegant Mediterranean-inspired fish dinner with green beans, tomatoes, and olives is just a push of the microwave button away.

Take fried fish, break it up, and douse it with lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, chiles, and cilantro, and you have an incredible jumble of textures and flavors. Because you hack the fish into bits, there's no need to find perfect-for-presentation fillets, so this is a great way to use those that aren't flawless, as long as they're fresh.

An homage to the breaded and baked fish at Luby's cafeteria in Texas, this tilapia goes Tex-Mex with a salty corn-chip crust.

While some recipes require elaborate introductions justifying particular flavor combinations, the creation from Epicurious member Sarah Perl of Brooklyn, New York, needs little justification as it eventually won her a husband. Perl also praises the dish for its versatility: “It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner and special enough for a dinner party.” So, choose a fresh fish fillet and serve up this dish in the name of romance.

Looking for a fast, inexpensive, and tempting weeknight meal? Epicurious member Leah Hook of Reading, Massachusetts, has a fish dish that’s just the ticket. The breaded tilapia fillets are quickly seared in a hot pan, and then drenched in a sauce made from orange juice and sriracha sauce and served over brown rice. “Don’t stress about whether the flour sticks evenly to the tilapia,” Hook says. “The idea is that some flour will stick on some parts of the fillet, and those parts will soak up the tasty sauce.”

Try this technique with any mild, flaky white fish, including sole, tilapia, or turbot, all of which work nicely with the sauce. Brown butter—or buerre noisette, created when butter is cooked until the milk solids turn golden brown—is one of those à la minute (cooked to order) sauces that should be a part of any home cook’s repertoire, since it can be altered in countless ways. Nuts are classically paired with browned butter, as their flavors are complementary; citrus juice or wine balances the richness; and other ingredients, such as herbs, provide complexity. Since this recipe is so quick to prepare, you need to have your mise en place at the ready before you heat the pan. Toast and chop the hazelnuts, suprême the citrus, and put salt, pepper, and flour in separate dishes (for seasoning and dredging the fish) set near the stove.

The traditional seafood stew of Provence is typically made with tomatoes, shellfish, local fish, and herbs, but this version is made without tomatoes, allowing the fish and saffron to be prominent. Cooking it over a wood fire adds a bit of smoke to the beautiful fish. Serve with a crusty baguette to soak up the flavorful broth.

We think this is one fine fancy-pants dish. The sweet potato crust not only seals in the succulence of the fish but also gives it a crunchy, caramelized coating. The sauce of roasted red peppers simmered with lots of aromatics makes for a sexy finish.

Famous dishes have historically taken their names from the chefs who invented them—Sole Dugléré, for example, was named after French chef Adolphe Dugléré. As a consultant to Finger Lakes Aquaculture, distinguished local chef Etienne Merle, who once ran well-loved Ithaca restaurants L’Auberge du Cochon Rouge and Valentine Café, created a recipe for Dugléré-style tilapia. The addition of curry and herbs gives the dish Etienne’s unmistakable touch.

This recipe borrows familiar ingredients from the Italian pantry—arugula, tomatoes, capers, and red-pepper flakes—to produce a dish with bold flavors. Sole, flounder, halibut, or cod can be used in place of the tilapia.

To form fish sticks, cut tilapia fillets in half lengthwise down the center line. Halve again lengthwise, then crosswise. If you can’t find Old Bay Seasoning, a specialty of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States, use another seafood spice blend.

Pieces of tilapia are added to this tomato-based chowder in the final minutes of simmering; the fish cooks quickly without breaking apart. Other flaky white fish, such as flounder, sole, or halibut, could be used instead. Serve the soup with soda crackers.

SECRET INGREDIENT Cracker crumbs help bind the fish mixture so it holds together when cooked; they also lend a crunchy coating to the cakes, which are dredged in the crumbs before baking. Put the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or small heavy skillet, or pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground.

GOOD TO KNOW A favorite sandwich, redux: Instead of battering and deep-frying, fish fillets are cooked on the grill, with a mere brush of oil. Top with a tangy slaw and serve on toasted bread, and you won’t miss the original in the least.