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Cashew-Crusted Tilapia Fillets

Serves 4

— Adapted from a recipe served at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants

A crisp cashew crust and a Jamaican Rum Butter Sauce provide texture and flavor to mild-tasting freshwater tilapia.

For the Fish

4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup flour

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons water

¾ cup finely chopped cashews

¾ cup panko or fresh bread crumbs

Rice bran oil or peanut oil, for frying

For the Rum Butter Sauce and Garnish

¼ cup dark rum

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon minced habanero pepper, or to taste

1-inch piece of vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch bits

¼ cup (mixed) ¼-inch dice red, yellow and green bell pepper

2 tablespoons green onion, sliced thin

1. Turn the oven on warm. Line a baking sheet with a brown paper bag and put it in the oven. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper. Put the flour on a dinner plate. Beat the eggs with water in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Put the cashews and bread crumbs on a third plate.

2. In a large skillet, heat a 1-inch layer of oil over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer registers 375 degrees or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil rises immediately to the surface and becomes golden brown in 1 minute.

3. Coat each fish fillet in flour, shaking off any excess. Next, dip it into the beaten egg mixture, allowing the excess to run off. Finally, coat with the nuts and bread crumbs. Test the oil temperature, then gently add breaded fillets, one or two at a time; avoid crowding the pan. After 3 to 5 minutes, or when each fillet is delicately browned, turn and cook 2 to 4 minutes longer. Hold the cooked fillets on the pan in the oven while you finish frying the others.

4. To make the butter sauce: Boil the rum in a small saucepan over medium heat with the lime juice, habanero pepper, vanilla bean, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk in the butter a few bits at a time to make a smooth sauce. Do not let the mixture return to a boil. Serve immediately with the cashew-crusted tilapia and garnish each serving with diced peppers.

Adapted from a recipe served at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants