Ernesto's Tilapia

My husband created this many years ago and we think it's just as good today as it was then! We prefer the grill to cook this, but the oven works fine. Cook in oven at 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Eat the fish pepper/onion mixture on saltines with a squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce (such as Cholula®) and enjoy the flavorful broth with lime, hot sauce, and a spoon.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 336 Calories

Ingredients

• salt to taste
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (Optional)
• 1 large onion, sliced into strips
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 2 pounds tilapia
• 2 limes, divided
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced, or more to taste
• ⅓ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.

Step 2

Season tilapia with the juice of 1 lime and salt. Arrange fish in a disposable aluminum pan. Layer onion, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, green bell pepper, roma tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and cilantro, respectively, over fish. Dot butter over cilantro layer, squeeze the juice from the second lime over cilantro, and season with salt. Cover pan tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil.

Step 3

Cook on the preheated grill for 15 minutes; rotate pan halfway-around and cook 5 minutes more. Rotate pan back around and cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes more. Carefully remove aluminum foil and ladle mixture into bowls.