Butter Does Amazing Things

Being one to always cook with healthy-for-the-heart canola oil, I’m discovering that cooking with just a little bit of butter is amazing.

In one of the opening scenes of Julie & Julia, Meryl Streep portrayed Julia Child having her first meal in France, a simple filet of fish in a butter sauce. It was apparently the most exciting meal she’s ever had and I didn’t know what the big deal was till I made Giada De Laurentiis’ Tilapia with Purple Potato Crust and Chive Rosemary Oil.



I bought a bag of fingerling potatoes from the farmer’s market and the only reason I picked the pack was for the one purple potato in it. Sadly there weren’t more in any other pack. I love the bright purple color and it lasts through cooking.

Tilapia topped with layers of red, yellow, and purple potato.
Seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced rosemary.

Out of the oven. Now for the hard part, flipping it over without having all the potatoes fall off.

Surprisingly stayed in tact. Just flip really fast. The potatoes stay together but actually slide on the fish so you have to re-arrange a little bit.

Drizzled on a bit of the remaining butter and olive oil from the baking dish. Garnished with minced chives.

Had some extra potatoes so I made potato stacks as a fun side. The fish was amazing. I’m usually prefer softer fish like salmon or Asian prepared sea bass so I was really skeptical to use tilapia. Every time I’ve had it, its been too firm and underseasoned, but the butter made the tilapia so tender and flavorful. The best I’ve ever had.

My recipe notes:

• recipe calls for making a chive and rosemary oil to drizzle on top. After reading reviews about too much oil, I just used the remaining butter and oil from the pan and sprinkled the chives on top. Do use the full amount of butter and oil in the pan though. You’ll need it all to have enough to drizzle on top.
• slice the potatoes as thin as possible and even thickness. I didn’t have a mandolin but I managed with a small serrated knife.
• the recipe says to season the fish, then potatoes, then the drizzled oil on top. I think building all the layers of flavor really was key to making it taste so good.
• wish i got a bit more of the crust on the potatoes. maybe my dish wasn’t hot enough to begin with or I should leave it on the stove longer before placing it in the oven.