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Tilapia is available by the cart load, live, whole and as frozen fillets,
in Hispanic, Asian and Near Eastern markets. It is rare in the supermarket
chains because they'd rather sell 1 pound of fish at $6.95/# than 10 pounds
of fish at $2.95/#. Frozen fillets are great for many uses and I always keep
some on hand.
A while back tilapia was featured in fancy high priced restaurants - until
people caught on they could get it for a couple bucks a pound at any ethnic
market. Gourmet chefs just can't live with that.
Most tilapia are grey but there are some red ones and white ones
available at a somewhat higher price. Tilapia flesh is mild, light in color
and contains very little oil. It is firm and remains intact with just about
any cooking method, including ceviche. The skin is often not eaten because
it may be slightly bitter and if not removed may discolor the flesh,
but I do see plenty of recipes cooking whole fish skin-on.
Tilapia is completely covered with fairly large scales which scrape off
easily with only moderate flying about. Despite being a rather deep bodied fish
tilapia can be cleaned like a round fish, splitting along the centerline
from the "vent" forward. There's a substantial swim blader to break through
to get to the blood works just beneith the spine. The gills pull out more
easily than with many fish.
Tilapia fillets fairly easily with plenty of fin rays and bones to follow.
The rib cage has a lot of ribs. Carefully follow them shaving the fillet
from the ribs. Don't try cutting the ribs from the backbone and pulling
them from the fillet - that doesn't work with this fish, you'll just tear
it up. You will feel what seems to be a row of substantial centerline
spines but they are soft and will not be noticeable when cooked.
The skirt is wide and quite thin so the fillet will break off there, but
it expands again at the belly where it's stiff and fatty. Cut
these belly parts off - they are reserved for the cook. Lightly dust them with
rice flour and frying skin-on in a lightly flavored olive oil. The heat
causes the fat to liquify. Eat these cuts hot with some salt and lemon
juice - fish oil is good for you. This is sort of like with milkfish in the
Philippines - the fatty belly is often sold separately at a higher price.
A 1 pound 7 ounce (1.44 #) red tilapia yielded 9-1/2 ounces of skin-on
fillet including the belly fat (41%), 8 ounces skin-on belly trimmed (35%)
and 7-1/4 ounces skinless (32%). Further testing has confirmed these
percentages.
Tilapia skin does not shrink when fried so fillets can be fried skin-on.
Some say the skin will make the flesh somewhat bitter, but I find it's
not a problem, particularly with red tilapia. In any case the skin is fairly
easy to remove using the standard long knife and cutting board method.
Tilapia head, fins and bones produce a very usable moderately flavored
and slightly sweet stock. I've even tossed in the skins and still had very
good results - no bitterness or overly strong flavor. Use your gravy
separator to remove the fat.
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