No catch, release here

If you love to eat fish — you're gonna love this recipe. This is one catch that you won't want to release.

I know, I know. It's very "PC" to catch and release when you fish. But every once in a while, you just have to put one of those beauties on the grill. Not being an active fishing-type person myself at the moment, I am not sure if you can catch tilapia locally. But I do know you can buy it locally in any of our supermarkets, or if they don't carry it, they will be happy to order it for you.

This week, I was invited into the busy kitchen of executive chef/owner Antonio Villagomez of Cilantro's in Yuba City.

Antonio lives in Yuba City with his wife, Erin, and two daughters, Amelia and Gaby. He has trained under many world-class chefs and has worked in many locally owned eateries.

From the very moment I stepped inside his eatery, I was greeted with huge smiles and "welcomes" from not only Antonio, but also his friendly staff.

I usually ask chefs to e-mail me a copy of the recipe they are going to prepare for me in advance of my arrival, so I can at least "act like" I know what they are talking about.

But through an e-mail glitch, I didn't receive Antonio's recipe. So I as I walked through the door, I was wondering what he was going to cook for me.

Having known him for more than three years, I can always expect Antonio's wonderful sense of humor to present itself in his tasty, colorful, playful dishes. I was not disappointed.

As I followed him to the kitchen, I asked what he was going to prepare, and when he mentioned grilled tilapia, I had to confess I had never eaten tilapia.

He promised I was in for a treat. And boy, was he right. Once he finished plating his dish, from the very first bite, I knew this was going to be one of those recipes that I would not soon forget.

In fact, I would have to say, it was one of the best fish dishes I have ever tasted. I even took home what I could not eat, and my wife ate the remainder — she loved it, too. Score two for Antonio.

I asked him how he came up with this recipe and how long he has been making it.

"I've been making this recipe for more than 11 years. To me, cooking is much like painting. If I only have four colors, then that's how many colors I use to paint with. "Likewise, when I develop a new recipe, I use what ingredients I have available at the time. Then I combine them to make the recipe I am making at the time. This is how I made the recipe for the grilled tilapia," Antonio said.

This is one recipe you will want to serve your family, friends and/or dinner guests. Not only does it taste great, but it plates beautifully, as well. It will bring plenty of "oohs" and "ahhs."

For those who are not quite up to the task of trying it at home — no worries. As of today, Antonio will be serving this recipe at Cilantro's at 450 Center St., Yuba City.

• Antonio Villagomez's Grilled Tilapia with Chipotle-Tomatillo Sauce

Ingredients

2 tilapia fillets

Olive oil

Lemon pepper to taste

6 to 8 tomatillos, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon onion, chopped

Pinch of cumin

1 chipotle pepper

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

1 cup rice, cooked

Putting it together

Brush tilapia with olive oil and season with lemon pepper. Grill over medium heat for three minutes each side.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Drizzle pan with olive oil and add tomatillos, garlic, onion and cumin.

Cook for one minute. Add chipotle pepper and cilantro to pan; cook, covered, for two minutes.

Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble dish, place raw spinach on plate, top with grilled fish and sauce.

Serve with cooked rice alongside.

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There will be free full-color recipe cards of Antonio Villagomez and his recipe for Grilled Tilapia with Chipotle-Tomatillo Sauce in the lobbies of the Yuba City and Marysville Appeal-Democrat offices today.

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If you or someone you know has a favorite recipe and would be willing to share it, give Michael Reed a call at 749-4720 or e-mail to mreed@-appeal-democrat.com. He would love to come to your kitchen and meet you.

Until then, hope to see you in your neighbor's kitchen.