Pan Seared Fish and Grits

We typically have some kind of seafood on Fridays for dinner. We really like a curried seafood and rice thing we make - curry seafood with cilantro rice, but we were looking to do something different. Thought about shrimp and grits but decided to change it up and pan sear fish with the grits instead of shrimp. It turned out great. The key is getting a good crust seared on the fish. Tilapia is perfect for this because it can take a good quick sear and still stay moist inside. If you have issues with tilapia maybe use another fish. Trout would be good or catfish. Here is how we did it -  

Ingredients for the grits:

1 cup stone ground grits
4 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 medium onion sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
Olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper

For the tilapia:

2 tilapia fillets cut in two lengthwise 
Olive oil
Lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon hot chili pepper flakes - optional
Salt and pepper

For the grits:

In a small frying pan sauté the onion and garlic.
In a medium sauce pot, bring the water to a boil
Add the grits to the water, stir and reduce the heat to low. Cover loosely and cook for 20 minutes stirring frequently.
Remove the grits from the heat and stir in the onions, garlic, parsley, cheese and butter. Cover to keep warm..

For the fish: 

Brush the tilapia with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat a well seasoned cast iron or non-stick frying pan on medium high heat and add the tilapia.
Cook on one side until a nice brown crust develops, like in the photo below. Then turn and cook the other side the same way, about 2-3 minutes per side. Squeeze lemon juice on the fish while cooking.

Ladle grits onto individual plates and top with two pieces of the tilapia. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and chili pepper flakes if using and drizzle with olive oil.