Wasabi-Crusted Tilapia with Red Cabbage Slaw

Monday December 17

For the fish, we were inspired by an Epicurious recipe.
But changed it around a good bit. First, we used tilapia fillets instead of cod or halibut. We salted them with kosher salt, then smeared them with about a quarter cup of mayonnaise seasoned with wasabi as directed, but since we already had dried wasabi powder, we just moistened it up with a little water used it instead of the tube stuff in the recipe. Those who commented on the recipe said that it needed more spice, so we used about the same amount of wasabi the recipe calls for, 1 and 1/2 tsps., though we halved the recipe otherwise. Oh, and we also used white bread crumbs (from duck bread) to bread the smeared fillets rather than panko. We put the fillets in a shallow baking pan in the upper part of a 400-degree oven, baked for about 12 minutes, and then turned on the broiler to brown the top for a couple of minutes more. Results were very good, and we'll do this again. Next time, though, we're thinking of just blending the wasabi powder directly into the mayonnaise - or even substituting our usual crudité dip, mayonnaise with a little curry powder and a touch of soy sauce.

The red cabbage slaw in the original recipe sounded so raw that only a rabbit could like it. Instead, we whomped up a more traditional red cabbage slaw ahead of time, giving it a few days to relax and become more edible. Here it is:

Red (and Green) Cabbage Slaw

4 cups thin-shredded red cabbage (or some can be green, for more varied color - we actually picked one of our last cabbage sprouts from the garden for this)
2 Tbsp. minced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped capers
2 Tbsp. chopped dill pickle (plus a dribble of the juice)
5 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
ca. 1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the liquids and seasonings in a large bowl, then toss the cabbage in it and mix well. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours; taste, correct seasoning, and serve. If you let this sit for long enough, the sauce will become pink, which is sort of festive as well as being tasty.