Grilled Lemon Butter Tilapia with Herb Risotto and Grilled Zucchini

Today, I played an April Fool’s joke on myself.  See, I hate fish.  I’ve hated it for years.  My dad used to grill grouper every summer and I suffered through each of those dinners, picking bones and making faces.  So, it took a long time for Hubby to convince me to try ahi tuna, the trendy appetizer at almost every restaurant in the first decade of the millennium.  Ok, yes, it was perfection on a plate.  But I was holding my line in the sand, I hate fish.  Then again, since my foray into the food blogging world, I have decided I need to be more adventurous and try things that I claim to hate.

On a whim, I bought tilapia filets.  It’s presumably spring out, but in my sunny state of Florida, that means it’s summer.  The thermometer reads 83, but I know its hotter.  It is definitely grilling season.  Grilled tilapia it is.  I started making lemon butter based on this recipe I found via quick Google search.  Minus the shallots and capers because I had neither on hand.  Note to self, must remember to buy more capers, I love those little pebbles of briny goodness.

Hubby grilled the fish while I worked up herb risotto based on this recipe.  I had to alter it a lot as I hate mushrooms.  No, I’m not willing to give in to two of my stubborn beliefs in one day.  The cup and a half of chicken broth was not near enough, so beware and have at least that much more on hand. Hubby grilled the last of our zucchini with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Overall, great meal!  Turns out I liked the fish!  A lot!  I promised we could have it once a week without complaints from me and I’m willing to try some other varieties.  Lesson learned, keep trying the things you think you hate, because one day you just might fool yourself into liking them!