Pecan-Crusted Tilapia

Wow...it's been a while since either Tonia or I posted anything here.  I suspect that the long Thanksgiving weekend had something very much to do with it.  Hope that the holiday season is off to a great start for you and your families!

Here's a gem I just found.  From my mother-in-law's leftover pie ingredients, we had TONS of pecans and walnuts sitting around and I wanted to incorporate them into a dish.  See what you think:

Tilapia Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp butter

Golden-Butter Rum Sauce Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 shallot, minced (as a substitute, use 2/3 tsp minced onion and 1 minced clove garlic)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp rum (can substitute lemon juice)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Process pecans in food processor until finely chopped
2. Mix the salt, garlic powder and pepper together with the pecans
3. Dredge fish in finely chopped pecans (I was afraid of the pecans not sticking so I brushed the fillets with a little oil first)
4. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat
5. Add fish and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until well browned and flaky
6. While fish is cooking, make Golden Butter Rum Sauce, starting by melting 1 tsp butter in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat
7. Add shallot and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
8. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in rum, fruit juices, honey and salt, as well as the remaining 2 tbsp of better
9. Cook one more minute 
10. Serve sauce over the finished fillets