Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia with Mustard Greens

My garden is just beginning to produce lots of lovely veggies. This is my first garden and I'm really happy with how things are going. We built a raised bed in the early Spring and I began transplanting some seedling I had started indoors, planting new seeds, as well as transplanting some seedlings that I purchased. Some plants have been eaten by the various creatures roaming through the yard, others never even grew, yet many others are thriving. The zucchini plant is practically taking over. 

The first thing to emerge from the garden and be ready to eat were my mustard greens. I love greens. They are slightly bitter, but when you cook them with spicy crushed red pepper and a hint of lemon juice they transform their flavor. This is my favorite method for cooking any green. So I decided to cook some of the leaves up and with what other better way than to cook them Southern style? I decided to bake them instead of frying them. I know, I would usually fry them, but the night before we had fried fish so I was trying to be good. So instead I coated them in the same way and tossed them in the oven instead. They came out great. 

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

2 Tilapia filets

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup cornmeal, or enough to coat the fish

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Salt and pepper

Cayenne, to taste, I like a lot 

Canola oil to brush the pan

Spicy Sauteed Greens

A large bunch of greens (they cook down)

Olive oil for the pan

Salt and pepper to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

A squeeze of lemon juice

1) Preheat the oven to 500 and line a pan with foil and brush with oil

2) Coat the fish in the egg then toss into the mixture of cornmeal, bread crumb, and spices and coat

3) Place fish in oven and let cook for 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 5 minutes or until done

4) While fish is in the oven heat a saute pan with olive oil and trim and cut the greens then cook them with the spices until wilted, then squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste

5) Serve the fish and greens with rice and enjoy!