It is fairly, if not universally true: Wherever you go in the world, there is a Caesar Salad on the menu. You could be in a dive bar, a drive-in, a fast food place, a diner, a London hotel (as was I recently) or an honest-to-God halfway decent restaurant with your lunch girlfriends and there. it. is. A no longer cheap basic Caesar Salad is listed and then, at the bottom of the salad section– at least here in the U.S.– you’re told you can add the ubiquitous grilled chicken (or salmon, shrimp, or steak). Because I adore a well-made, simple no-chicken Caesar, I ordered it at a sweet place in Napa the last time– a few years ago now– our wine group visited. I was the happiest clam because this was not only one of the best Caesars I’d ever had (barely out-of-the-garden lettuce and the perfect Chardonnay in Napa, sigh) but it was bewitchingly showered with young, green-green, perfectly minced chives. Was anything ever better? Not that day! (Menu down below.)
At home, I make a few differently styled Caesars but don’t typically layer on protein except for copious amounts of salty Parmiagiano-Reggiano. My wannabe Caesars may contain a few different vegetables for health, happiness, and texture. But this last week, as I wondered how to use some of the three pounds of tilapia I’d scored for under $20 total at Costco, I realized I was going to throw together a Tilapia Caesar. Why not? If restaurants can put all that (ahem) grilled boneless chicken on their Caesar salad, why couldn’t I slip on a little fillet of nicely seasoned, tender white fish?! The tilapia, which my best sous and husband Dave had divided into 3 (1 lb.) packages, would, I know thaw quickly in a pot of cold water and cook in mere minutes. It would be not only good for us but cheap and fast. Nice.
I thought to begin by making my Caesar dressing–an old FOOD AND WINE recipe– and, since it makes over a cup, I’d also have salad dressing for several days. I like a cooking bonus, I do. Now I know you can buy Caesar dressing at the grocery but since I don’t know what all those ingredients are that they list on those bottles (or how old it might be if I let it sit in my fridge), I make my own and hope you will, too. Excellent reason to own a food processor, by the way. If ever your goal is to increase the quality of your salads, one of the first things is to make your own dressings. Serious about making and eating better salads? Take part or all of my free 3-part Salad Class right here.
If you’re not in the mood to create your own Caesar dressing, I’ll look the other way while you whisk together equal amounts of fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil with salt and pepper added to taste. Maybe a mashed, chopped glove of garlic, too. There you go, a little lemon vinaigrette just for you. (Lovely on asparagus or green beans.)
So you’re making your own dressing and then you might…
MAKE CROUTONS: Yes, you should do that, too.
Make your own croutons for these reasons: 1. They taste 100% better than the boxed variety and are lots cheaper. 2. You’ll use up that leftover bread–don’t throw it out!! The croutons keep for a few days. 3. It’s fast.
How? Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat with 1/4″ olive oil. Put one bread cube in and when it’s really sizzling, add the others. Don’t walk away. When the cubes are browned on one side, turn them and brown the other. Remove the croutons from the pan with tongs to a towel-lined soup bowl. Add a good pinch each of salt and pepper; toss. If not using right away, cover them for another day. Lovely for soup, salad, or even on top of cooked vegetables. And, yes, they make a tasty appetizer to serve with sparkling wine!!
And then, it’s time to cook a bit of fish while you chop some vegetables. Do them ahead if you’d rather keep your eyes on the fish prize.
That’s it–easy– and you’ll really soon be ready to eat this filling, toothsome meal when you try this:
FRIDAY FISH: Tilapia Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped or shredded romaine lettuce
- Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, crushed red pepper
- 2 small tomatoes, cut into medium dice
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ red bell pepper, thinly sliced (can sub fennel)
- 2 tablespoons sliced peperoncini
- 2 anchovy fillets, diced (optional)
- 1/2 cup (1 ¾ oz) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 2 (4 oz) Tilapia fillets (or other mild, white fish fillets)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-5 tablespoons Caesar dressing, divided. (See COOK’S NOTES for my recipe or use yours.)
- 1 cup homemade croutons. See blog for directions or use your own.
- Lemon wedges for garnish, optional
Instructions
- TOSS THE SALAD/REFRIGERATE: In a large bowl, toss together the romaine with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, a pinch of crushed red pepper, the tomatoes, onion, pepper, peperoncini, and chopped anchovies, if using. (Don't dress the salad or add the Parm yet.) Refrigerate.
- COOK THE TILAPIA: Rinse the tilapia fillets under water and dry carefully with paper towels. Season both sides of each fillet with salt and pepper; set aside. To a medium shallow bowl, add the flour, ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and stir together. Set aside. Pour the olive oil into a large, nonstick skillet, and heat over medium-high heat. Gently press one fillet at a time (both sides) into the reserved flour mixture and shake off excess. Cook fillets in the hot oil on one side for 4 minutes; turn and cook other side about 3 minutes or until fish is just firm, opaque, and flakes easily. A stovetop grill pan will also work well. (See blog for outdoor grill information.)
- ARRANGE THE SALAD: Pull the salad out of the fridge and toss with 3 tablespoons of the dressing (use 4 if you like a heavily dressed salad) and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Divide the salad between large, chilled salad bowls and add a Tilapia fillet to each at center. Drizzle fish fillets with a little more of the Caesar dressing. Grind some black pepper lightly over the salads and sprinkle with the rest of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add 1/2 cup croutons to each bowl and serve immediately with lemon wedges, if using. (Store extra salad dressing in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.)
Notes
In a blender or food processor, puree/pulse until smooth: 2 anchovy fillets, one egg yolk (I poach this first for one minute for safety), 2 small sliced shallots, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (can sub red wine vinegar), 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. With machine on, drizzle in 1 cup extra virgin olive oil just until incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings. Use a whisk, a big bowl, and your strong arm if you’ve no blender or food processor, first finely chopping the anchovies, shallots, and garlic. I like my small food processor insert for this sort of chore as my regular bowl is much too large. Some of you have separate small food processors. Copyright Alyce Morgan, 2025. All rights reserved.
Another Cook’s Note: This is such a fast cook, you’ll need to have your table set, the wine poured, your bread in its basket, butter in her dish, and your phone turned off before you cook. Pay total attention to your simple meal or you’ll overcook the fish!
The two most important things about cooking fish? Not overcooking it and having a really good sauce. 4 Fool-Proof Ways to Tell if Your Fish is Cooked.
What to have with this salad? Even though you’ve made and included your crispy croutons, some crusty bread and butter is called for to complete a good salad. A cold California Chardonnay to drink, I’d say, and you’re good to go. A rosé if it’s terribly warm already and you’re outside. No dessert. You’re being so good having a salad, just stay the course.
CHANGE IT UP: Shrimp instead? The simplest thing to do is to buy good quality cooked shrimp but of course you can cook some, too. Toss in 1/4 pound cooked shrimp per person in place of the tilapia. Take the tails off for ease of eating but I don’t mind eating them with my fingers. You? No peperoncini? While a staple at my house for salads and sandwiches, it may not be in your pantry. Still, I like something briny here for sheer perkiness. Try pickled jalapeños, sliced kalamata olives, chopped cornichons, or __________. No egg? Add a little more Dijon-style mustard to make the dressing creamier. Skipping the croutons? Chop up some smoked almonds or use sliced almonds to add the crunch the croutons provided. Out of cheese? Toasted breadcrumbs can stand in for grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. (That’s a good idea to keep in your back pocket if you’ve ever a vegan friend coming to share a meal that includes parm.) Want more? Double the amount of fish fillets you’re cooking; save half for tomorrow. Hello, fish tacos or a fish spread similar to my salmon version.
THAWING FISH: To avoid the risk of botulism, always remove fish from its sealed plastic packaging, and place in a well-covered dish or in a sealable bag in the fridge overnight. (Fridge will smell like fish.) Quick version: Remove fish from the sealed plastic packaging, place in a sealable bag, and put the bag in a pot or large bowl with cold water for 20-30 minutes or until thawed. You may need to weigh the bag of fish down with a cast iron pot or skillet filled with water, etc. If parts of the fish are thawed and others aren’t, remove the fillets to a plate or rack and let rest another 15 minutes or so at room temp before rinsing, patting dry, and cooking. While it’s kinda possible to thaw fish in the microwave, it’s just too easy to cook part of it in the process. Best to use one of the above methods.
(Gas) Grilled Tilapia/Allrecipes
Tilapia nutrition/Healthline.com
If you liked this, you might also like my:
Crab Cakes on Fresh Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette
FRIDAY FISH: Pan-Seared Halibut with Tomato-Sweet Pepper Salsa
FRIDAY FISH: Southwestern Fish Salad
Salmon Salad with Broccolini, Kale, and Avocado Mayonnaise
LIFE GOES ON:
As we move further into spring — and yes, it’s still be snowing here but not today!– I’ve had time to pull out an old blog favorite or two for dinner. Above, something I make when I need a larger dinner but only have one leftover chicken breast: Clean Out the Fridge Chicken Pasta. I rarely cook pasta, but if I do, I made the whole wheat variety. Have needed some comfort food in the last week of our difficult days in the US. There does seem to be a bit of positive feeling afoot. Pray, if you’re the praying type.
I’m traveling soon to Florida to spend time on the beach with my son and family and our extended family for Easter. I should catch at least one more FRIDAY FISH before I get on the plane with my cotton dresses and sandals. In the meantime (or upcoming if I don’t get back here) just click on FRIDAY FISH in the word cloud to explore what’s gone before today’s salad if you need more.
Thanks for visiting my kitchen where you’re always welcome and such an encouragement for me,
Alyce
Recent Sunday night steak salad. Not a lot of steak leftover from Friday night Date night, but I tossed in lots of leftover cooked and fresh vegetables along with homemade croutons, hard-cooked eggs, wedges of Roquefort, and olives. I sliced cold sweet potatoes and fried them up just for fun. And yes, this–using up what needs to be used– is very different indeed than today’s blog! BTW: Trader Joe’s has fresh peas.
