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Those of you who watch "The Next Food Network Star" know that this week's episode had the final four contestants creating wood-grilled seafood dishes with the promise that one dish would be featured on Red Lobster menus across the country. The winner of the contest was Jeffrey Saad, who invented a tilapia dish with spicy soy broth.

I thought it looked very delicious. Tilapia, which is generally affordable and very quick to thaw and cook, is a weekly staple in our home. So I'm always looking for new ways to prepare it. When Red Lobster sent out Saad's recipe, I thought, "Why not make this myself sometime and save money on our entertainment budget?" I'm sure that's not what Red Lobster was hoping I would be thinking, but that's life.

I'm sharing the recipe for anyone else who would like to try it at home.

Wood-Grilled Tilapia in a Spicy Soy Broth
(Adapted from Jeffrey Saad’s winning dish on "The Next Food Network Star")
Serves 4

4 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 cup chopped shrimp with tails, plus 4 whole, peeled and deveined
1 cup chopped scallops, plus 4 whole
4 shallots, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup mirin (rice wine)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
16 oz. water
1 1/4 cups chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 carrot, chopped
1 tsp. hot chile sauce (recommended: Sriracha)
1 Tbsp. wasabi powder
4 (6 oz.) fillets tilapia
1 oz. red bell pepper (optional)
2 oz. fresh asparagus (optional)

1. In a large saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons sesame oil over medium heat. To pan, add the chopped shrimp, scallops, shallots and garlic. Cook until lightly golden. Add the mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in the water and 1 cup cilantro and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the broth until reduced by 1/3, about 20 minutes. Strain liquid and discard solids. Reserve the liquid.

2. Preheat grill or grill pan.

3. Combine the remaining cilantro, the basil, green onions and carrot in a bowl. Set aside.

4. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and flakes easily. Set aside.

5. Meanwhile, toss the whole shrimp in wasabi and season with salt and pepper. In a medium saute pan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium heat. Cook the whole shrimp and scallops until golden on both sides.  Set aside.

6. Place a teaspoon of the chile sauce in the bottom of each soup bowl. Ladle some of the broth into each bowl.  Stir to gently mix the broth and the chile sauce.  Lay 1 fillet of fish into the broth, then surround the fish with 1 shrimp and 1 scallop. Garnish with chopped cilantro, basil, green onions and carrot.  Serve immediately.

Source: www.redlobster.com