Seared Lemon Pepper Tilapia with Creamy Pumpkin

Seared Lemon Pepper Tilapia with Creamy Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette Salad topped with Pomegranate Seeds

Baked Tilapia Ingredients

* Creamy Pumpkin Seed Dressing:
* 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (or other high-quality white wine vinegar)
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
* 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
* 2 egg yolks, from pasteurized eggs
* 1 cup pumpkin seed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon ice water, if needed
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted lightly in oven

Tilapia:
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 2 cups Progresso® lemon pepper Panko crispy bread crumbs
* 6 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

Salad:
* 3 small heads of butter lettuce, washed and dried well, torn
* 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Baked Tilapia Instructions :
1. In food processor, place the vinegar, mustard, shallot, thyme and pasteurized egg yolks. Cover; process until smooth. With the machine running, add the 1 cup pumpkin seed oil and then the 1 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the mixture gets too thick, add the 1 tablespoon ice water. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir in pumpkin seeds. Refrigerate while making tilapia.
2. Place the flour, 2 eggs and the bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow dishes. Dip each fillet in flour then in eggs and finally, dredge on both sides in bread crumbs, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat 2 skillets over high heat. Divide 3 tablespoons olive oil evenly between skillets. When hot, add the fish; reduce heat to medium, and cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Turn fish and cook on the second side until the fish is done throughout (test with a fork), about 4 minutes, depending on thickness.
4. Transfer the fish to 6 individual plates. Garnish with the lemon wedges. Toss the lettuce with a portion of the dressing; divide among plates of fish. Spoon some of the additional dressing over the fish; sprinkle pomegranate seeds over all, and enjoy.