Miso-Butter Tilapia

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Cut off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; thinly slice crosswise. In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, honey (kneading the packet before opening), vinegar, orange marmalade, and 2 tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper.

Carefully rinse the rice (sifting through for any impurities). Drain thoroughly. In a small pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions and half the chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 13 to 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the remaining chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the sliced bok choy and as much of the red pepper flakes as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Turn off the heat; add the ponzu sauce and stir to combine. Transfer to a bowl; cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

Pat the tilapia dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and enough of the spice blend to coat (you may have extra). In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned tilapia. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate. 

*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 145°F for fish.

Add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) to the pan of reserved fond. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently and scraping up any fond, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat; stir in the butter until melted and combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked tilapia with the cooked rice and cooked bok choy. Top the tilapia with the finished sauce. Garnish with the sesame seeds and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!