Seared Tilapia with Sauteed Sweet Pears and Jalapeno Goat Cheese

A Simpler Place in Time has provided us with some great produce again and here is what we came up with.  This dish is packed full of flavor and heat but is tempered by the cool, refreshingly simple flavors of the cucumber sandwich and melon salad that we put together to accompany the main dish.

This week's produce:

Pears
Avocado
Cucumber
Tomato
Jalapeno
Cantaloupe
1 bag chopped romaine lettuce

Main Dish- Serves 2-  Adjust accordingly for more people

Ingredients:
2 fresh tilapia fillets cut in half
Good quality paprika
Black pepper
Kosher Salt
4-5 tbsp goat cheese or just enough to mix with pears and jalapeno room temp
2 tbsp unsalted butter room temp
1.5 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 jalapeno diced and seeded, if you want less heat remove the veins as well.  I recommend leaving them in for the heat as the cucumber sandwich will cool the heat when eaten
3 pieces of lettuce per cucumber sandwich, veins pulled out
4 cucumber slices
4 tomato slices cut into circles the same size as the cucumber slices
4 avocado slices cut into circles the same size as the cucumber slices, cover in lime juice to prevent browning
2-3 pairs depending on size, diced small and covered in orange juice to prevent browning
1 cantaloupe and 1 honey dew cut in half and seeded
EVOO

1.  Prepare your fish by lightly applying salt and pepper.  Evenly cover with paprika and put back into the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
2.  Prepare your veggies and fruit.  Cut melons as you see fit.  I used a melon baller for a different look and texture.  Put melon salad into the refrigerator and pull it out when you are ready to eat.  Prepare your cucumber sandwich how you would like and place on a plate with paper towels.  When putting this together very lightly salt and pepper each layer.  Cover and keep in the refrigerator.  
3.  Let goat cheese and butter sit so they are room temp by the time you are ready to use them.  Drain your pears and make sure you dry them as much as possible with paper towels.  Melt the butter in a skillet and once it has heated up add your pears and jalapeno.  Add a pinch of salt and sautee until the pears are slightly golden.  Add the brown sugar and continue to cook until the sugar has completely melted.  Remove from the skillet and add to the goat cheese.  Make sure you add enough goat cheese to completely coat the pears and jalapeno.  Do not refrigerate.
4.  In a clean skillet add 1 tbsp of EVOO and heat up on medium high heat.  Place fish in the hot oil and sear on both sides for about 1-2 minutes depending on the thickness.  Do not overcook the fish.  Plate up how you would like with the pear and jalapeno goat cheese and cucumber sandwich.  Serve with the melon salad.

The goat cheese spread was not put on top of the fish as it would have ruined the beautiful color.  Instead we hallowed out a slice of cucumber and place it in side to made sure it doesn't move around.  

It is important that you place the cucumber sandwiches on paper towels before serving as the salt you added will make the ingredients bleed.  

Everything on this plate is edible.  When garnishing strive to do garnish that is both functional and compliments the dish.  I recommend putting the goat cheese on the fish but you can eat with the cucumber garnish or cucumber salad.  

I hope you guys enjoy this flavorful dish.