Beer-Battered Tilapia with Red Chile Mandarin Orange Sauce

A few months ago I moved into my new condo but before doing so, I had to get rid of a few items that wouldn't fit into my new place. One of them was a big couch. After dropping the price considerably on Craigslist, I came up with the idea of giving it away for a six-pack of decent beer. I received several offers from group houses who were more than happy to take the couch for this steal of a deal. Unfortunately, I should have shopped around. What I ended up with was a six pack of Michelob Ultra. Not one to waste anything, I've been using it for cooking purposes because you couldn't pay me to drink this for pleasure. And if it's any consolation, I don't think the guys who took my couch and carried it several blocks down the street managed to fit it into their new place as I saw it out on the corner a week later. Guess they should have shopped around as well. I served this with couscous and a spinach salad.

Beer-Battered Tilapia with Red Chile Mandarin Orange Sauce (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2/3 cup beer
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tilapia fillets, about 5 ounces each
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 TB fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp red chili paste
• 1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 TB chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions:

Heat enough olive oil, to shallow fry the fish, in a large skillet over medium-high heat

In a shallow dish, whisk together 1/2 cup of the flour, beer, egg, and baking powder. Place remaining 1/4 cup flour in a separate shallow dish.


Season both sides of the fish fillets with salt and black pepper. Dredge fish in flour, turn to coat both sides and then shake off excess flour. Dunk fish in beer mixture and turn to coat both sides.


Add fish to hot oil and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until cooked through and opaque. Remove fish from oil. Place on a paper towel lined plate.


While the fish is frying, in a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice and chili paste. Add mandarin oranges and cilantro and toss to combine. Serve sauce over fish.