Cilantro-Chipotle Tilapia

 I was so excited to cook dinner when I got home today, I didn't even open the package I finally got from Amazon today containing a brand new cookbook.  This coming from the girl who will sit and read cookbooks for hours.  Do you see the love and commitment here?

Or maybe I was just hungry.  Once again, I stuck with the familiar and something that has been in my big green cookbook for awhile.  I made this dish several times over when I lived in McAllen, where cilantro was plentiful and cheap, but have touched it only once since moving to South Carolina.  I've made it so many times that I have the recipe memorized.  Which also explains why when I was wandering the grocery last Saturday, I picked up a bunch of cilantro.

Yum, cilantro.  Have you ever noticed that there are two camps when it comes to cilantro?  You either love it or hate it, there are very few, if any people straddling the fence on this one.  Julia Child, for all of her amazingness, thought it tasted like feet.  Like feet!  Julia Child!  Even more surprising, she's wrong.  Cilantro is good.  Cilantro is fantastic.  Know what makes cilantro even more fantastic?  Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce.

I could write a whole other paragraph about the wonderfulness of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  Alas, another time, another post.  But get yourself a can soon, ok?  Can you tell how much I love this recipe yet?

I won't lie to you, it doesn't come out of the oven the prettiest thing in the world.  I'm not even sure how to go about making it come out pretty.  When you pull it out from other the broiler, it'll likely be black, look burnt.  It's not!  Just wait until you break into it, the tilapia is going to be white, flaky and moist underneath.  The coating delicious, slightly cilantro-y and perfectly smokey and hot from the chipotle and cumin.  Forewarning for the faint of tongue though, the chipotles are going to pack some heat, the kind of heat that stays a bit to hang out.  You've been warned!!

Cilantro-Chipotle Tilapia

1 1/2 c. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. chopped canned chipotles in adobo
1 Tbsp. Water
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and Pepper
4 tilapia filets

Preheat broiler and line rack of broiler pan with foil.

Puree cilantro, oil, chipotles, water, cumin, salt and pepper until smooth.  Coat tilapia filets completely with sauce.

Broil fish 3 to 4 inches from element until just cooked through, about 6 to 9 minutes.