Sautèed Tilapia with Califlower Puree and crispy Capers

Begin by peeling garlic and shallots and slicing or chopping them to the best of your ability. Set aside. Take your cauliflower and cut it in half the long way. Then take the thick core out of the center and the green leaves and discard them. Then roughly chop the cauliflower and set aside. Shape and size doesn't matter here since everything will be pureed. Heat a three-quart or larger saucepan; add a healthy shot of the olive oil, and the shallots and garlic. Toss in a pinch of salt, and cook over a medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent. Add all of the cauliflower and pour the quart of milk into the pan. Cover the pot and set to a medium heat. Cook for around fifteen to twenty minutes, keeping your eye on the pot to make sure it does not bubble over. Milk is guilty of doing this quite easily. When the cauliflower is soft enough to easily pierce through with a knife it is done. We do not want totally mushy cauliflower here. Using a strainer or colander separate the cauliflower from the milk, saving all of the milk. Set up a blender and only fill 1/3 of the way with the cooked cauliflower at a time. This is all too important because believe me from experience; an exploding blender of hot liquid leads to a bad day. Add enough milk into the machine to cover the cauliflower halfway. Cover and puree. The mixtures consistency is up to you now. If you want a soup adding more milk for a looser puree would be ideal. If looking for a sauce, you want a thicker more concentrated consistency, with less liquid. Taste for salt. Finish the rest of the cauliflower like this. Transfer to a bowl and squeeze lemon juice into the mixture. Taste again for seasoning and decide if you need more salt or lemon juice. Remember to add slowly. Seasoning food is a skill that comes with practice. You can always add but never take away. Capers can be bought a few different ways. Stored in a brine, or pickling liquid or salt packed. I prefer capers in liquid because the rinsing process is easier. Just place them in a wire strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold water. This removes the strong brine that can be harsh and overpower your dish. Set on a couple paper towels and dry. In a small saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Give the oil about three minutes to come to temperature and add the capers. Let capers fry, stirring occasionally until they stop making a popping sound and are crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and lay out on a paper towel. Season lightly with salt. Allow the Tilapia fillet to sit out on a plate for around fifteen minutes. This allows the fish to come to room temperature, ensuring that it cooks evenly through. I feel that fish cooks best in a cast iron skillet. It brings an even heat that lasts and is generally nonstick if it’s broken in. If you don't have one use the thickest sauté pan you have. Remember to pick a pan that makes sense for the amount of fish your cooking. Too small and the fish will be crowded and end up steaming in its own juices. Too big and the heat will be too strong, which will lead to an easily burnt or overcooked fish. Salt both sides of the fish first. Focus on creating a thin even coating of salt on both sides. I prefer "Diamond" brand Kosher salt for this. Salting the fish five minutes before it cooks allows it to soak in the seasoning, and keeps your pan from having a pile of oil and salt crystals while cooking. Let your pan heat under a medium to medium-high heat until it is very hot. This should take about two minutes. When hot, add a bit of your oil of choice, just enough to make a very thin layer in the pan. We are not frying, just sautéing. I use canola or extra virgin olive oil. Adding cold oil to a very hot pan means your fish will never stick. Place your Tilapia fillet in the pan and let it cook until you see the meat turning opaque on all sides. Fish does not like to be touched much while cooking. By leaving it alone it is forming a very desirable brown crust. Once the opaque color is slowly creeping up the raw side of the fish, flip it over carefully and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. Fish is best served directly from the pan to the plate. This is a technique that comes with practice. Add as much of the cauliflower puree you like, sprinkle with the crispy capers, and with a zester or cheese grater zest the skin of a lemon over the top and serve. Source: Tropical Aquaculture Products, Inc. created by Chef Samuel Filloramo