Tilapia with Olive Relish and School Picture Day Trauma

Is anyone else emotionally scarred from school picture day? First of all, since when do we get hit up twice a year? I mean I love my kids but between the camera and the phone I only need to cough up $50+ for a deer in the headlights pic against a generic blue background once a year, thanks.

I don’t have trouble with the clothes. I admit I’m ‘that mom’ and my two boys wear button down shirts and slacks to school almost every day. My oldest is in fourth grade and I’m just now realizing that it’s not necessarily a good thing when the only ones who think you look cool are your parents and your teachers.

Doing their hair, however, is always an adventure. I do not envy you moms of girls! If I had a daughter who demanded hairstyling every day, well let’s just say that her hair would be really short.

Then there’s the smile lecture. The year my oldest got the smile down, we had to start working on the crazy eyes.

Finally there’s the actual picture. It’s annoying enough when no one straightens a shirt or wipes a face, but I get it. You’re shuffling 700 kids through a photo op in one day. One time though, the photography company sent home pictures where my son’s eyes were closed AND he was crying. How is that even possible?!

You’re making it really hard to wait for cocktail hour School Picture Day Company.

Luckily I will have plenty of time to imbibe this evening with this faster than 10 minute Tilapia with Olive Relish recipe. It’s another Double Duty Dinner, which you know I love. Not only do you get a fast and delicious seafood dinner, but the kids get fish sticks so there’s no whining about the suspicious “green circles with red guts” sprinkled on the fish.

Of course my kids just wonder how mad grandma is going to be that I used up her martini olives for dinner.

Side Dish: I always like fish with rice. Quinoa or cous cous would be great too. Veg or salad to round it out.

Wine: You know what I’m going to say here. White, chard/sauv/pinot G or champers. Something with enough flavor to stand up to the briney olives.

Love seafood? Check out these other fantastic recipes:

Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

Thai Coconut Curry with Shrimp

Tilapia with Olive Relish

Chef Shelley

There is a fish stick option for the littles 🙂 Substitute any mild white fish for tilapia, as long as it is a thin filet. I use and love safflower oil because it has a high smoke point and neutral flavor.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons oil I like safflower oil
• 4 tilapia filets no larger than 6 ounces
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise - if making fish sticks
• ½ cup panko - if making fish sticks
• ¾ cup sliced pimento stuffed green olives
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• ½ lemon zested and juiced
• ¼ teaspoons dried oregano

Instructions

 

• Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat.
• Season fish with salt and pepper.
• If making some fish sticks too: slice one or two tilapia filets into fish stick size pieces, coat with mayo and press panko to coat thoroughly.
• Put fish sticks and remaining whole filets in pan and cook for five minutes or until nice and golden brown.
• While fish cooks, combine remaining ingredients.
• Flip fish over and cook for two minutes until cooked through.
• Top filets with olive relish.

Notes

Serve fish sticks with ketchup, cocktail sauce or tartar sauce.