Baked Tilapia with Broccoli, Apple, Fennel Slaw

Fennel is another one of those veggies I haven't had a long relationship with. I think it was just last year I tried it for the first time. The slaw with this recipe is so so delicious, and the tilapia was simple and very moist. Really almost any white fish could be used in this recipe, the original recipe from Whole Living used trout.

Baked Tilapia with Broccoli, Apple, Fennel Slaw
serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 fillets tilapia
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 1 lemon (or lime) thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 TB tahini
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest, plus 1 TB lemon juice
• 1 TB  apple sauce
• 2 broccoli stalks, peeled and julienned (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
• 1/2 green apple, peeled, cored and julienned
• 1 TB chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to about 12x16 inches.
2. Arrange one fish fillet in the center of each parchment. Season with salt and pepper, top with lemon slices and sliced shallots. Drizzle with olive oil. Fold parchment by joining long sides together and make a few 1/4 inch folds to seal. Fold ends like you're wrapping a gift and tuck underneath. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until packet is puffed, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. In small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon zest, juice, applesauce, and 1 TB water. Season with salt.
4. Stir in broccoli stalk, fennel, carrot, apple and parsley until combined. 

This slaw makes a large amount, took up 1/2 of each of our plates! I could see making this slaw by itself again, maybe as a side to black bean burgers. 

Still need to find the julienne attachment for my mandolin or else buy a new one! Lots of small chopping going on here today, good thing this recipe was worth it!