Welcome to the First Friday of Lent

The countdown has begun. Today is the First Friday of Lent. Catholics across the globe have begun the discipline of Lenten Fridays, fasting, penance and personal sacrifice.

Hubby has always joked that for him the whole Meatless Fridays during Lent was easy. Hubby loves fish, especially a Beer-battered Cod with a good Tartar Sauce and French Fries. Not far from our house is an Irish Pub that serves up some of the best Fish and Chips around. Perfect for any Friday Night out.

Before Hubby came into my life, for me Catholic Fridays were a sacrifice. We ate a ton of Fish Sticks growing up. Back then, frozen fish sticks were a lot like Hot Dogs – only the Good Lord knew what went into creating a stick of fish in the first place. As a teenager, I ate Tuna Fish made with yellow mustard, not because I liked Tuna with mustard but because mustard didn’t contain the fats found in mayonnaise. Over the years together, Hubby has taught me to appreciate fish and I have taught him to appreciate sea creatures that have claws like shrimp, crab and lobsters. While we both have an appreciation for Fridays, we continue to disagree on how to prepare our fish. Hubby is more of a fried kind of guy, while I like mine baked or grilled. Only with a good batter that isn’t too heavy do I like fish that has been fried.

As a faithfully dedicated Catholic, I am always searching for new and interesting ways to make the First Friday of Lent extra special. This latest dish is just one of many that are colorful, flavorful and even diabetic friendly. That’s a win all the way around.

Caper Tilapia Atop Arugula and Tomatoes
1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes
3 cups Arugula
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
4 Tilapia Filets
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste
2 tablespoon Capers
2 tablespoon Butter
1 Lemon
Splash White Wine

Cut tomatoes in half, set aside. Rinse and pat dry the arugula, set aside.

In a medium nonstick skillet, bring 1/4 cup water to a boil. Add tomatoes and red-pepper flakes; spread out to create a bed; top with tilapia. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add arugula. Cover, and cook until tilapia flakes easily with a fork, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer tilapia and vegetables to a platter (reserve skillet).

Make the Sauce: Rinse and drain capers, set aside. In the now empty skillet off heat, add butter, the juice of the lemon, wine and capers to skillet; swirl until butter has melted. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Serve tilapia over arugula and tomatoes; drizzle with sauce.

This would be lovely with Rice Pilaf, warm bread and a crisp white wine.

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