Tilapia with Shallot & Pinot Grigio Jam Sauce

Jayme, who's become the newest member in my arsenal of foodie friends (she's gotten several shout-outs here already), tipped me off to something amazing at the Marietta Farmer's Market that I'm glad I tried for myself: Emily G's Jams of Love. If you're in Marietta on a Saturday this summer, just stop by the farmer's market and sample them. I dare you to go home without a jar! I picked up the pinot grigio jam because it was tasty, really unsure what I'd do with it until the nice lady who sold it said it was good on fish.

Inspired to do something healthy for dinner last night to combat the effects of eating large spoonfuls of pre-chilled lemon curd before dinner (that recipe's coming later), I came up with this little gem I can't wait to make again. I'm usually not one to blog about recipes necessitating specialty ingredients, but this one's worth it!

Serves 2

3 filets tilapia (from frozen is fine, what I used)
salt, pepper, Italian seasoning
1 shallot, fine slices
some butter (about 3 tablespoons)
some olive oil
juice of half a lemon
about 1/4 cup Emily G's Pinot Grigio Jam

Thaw tilapia if starting from frozen (submerge, still in plastic, in cold water for about 45 minutes), rinse & pat dry, then sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add about 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to a nonstick pan, heat over medium-high heat. Once butter has melted and mixed with the oil, add tilapia, cooking about 3 minutes on each side, turning only once. Remove tilapia from pan, set aside, and cover with foil to keep warm. Return the pan and all remaining drippings to the heat, add shallot, salt, pepper, and sautee about 2 minutes, until shallots become translucent. Add in jam and lemon juice. Once jam has melted, stir in 2 tablespoons butter, one tablespoon at a time, to make the sauce velvety and creamy. Serve immediately over fish, and enjoy!

The lemon juice is key here, as it really balances the sweetness of the jam. Jam is an excellent sauce-maker here, as the pectin gives the sauce a heartier feel than just using plain wine. I imagine it would be just as tasty over some shrimp or other delicate whitefish.

I served the fish last night with plain jasmine rice and green beans. Paired with a little glass of white wine, it was a perfect summertime dinner!