This Pangasius in tomato-saffron sauce is delicious and easy. My plan was to make a dish with fish and saffron, based on the fish availability in my local supermarket. As they were offering rebates on pangasius, I decided to use this catfish from South-East Asia.
Pangasius in tomato saffron sauce
Ingredients
Pangasius fillet
- 2 Pangasius fillets
- 200 ml cream
- 1 dl white wine
- 2 onions small
- 1 tomato
- capers a handful
- saffron threads a few
- olive oil
Polenta
- 100 gram polenta
- 400 ml water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- pepper
- salt
Instructions
- Warm up 400 ml of water for the polenta, it should not be cooking.
- Then put the fire very low and stir in the polenta.
- Add a tablespoon of butter, pepper and salt, and stir well until a thick mass is formed. Keep the polenta warm.
- Preheat the oven to 180° C.
- Chop the onions and cut the tomato very finely.
- Let the saffron soak in the cream.
- Bake the onions in olive oil, and quench the wine after a few minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and reduce.
- Then add the cream and the capers.
- Place the pangasius fillet in an oven dish, and spread the sauce over it.
- Leave to bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.Arrange the plates with the polenta and enjoy with a glass of white wine.
Notes
Nutrition
About pangasius
Pangasius, or panga fish, has its origins in South East Asia, in the Vietnamese Mekong delta. It belongs to the species of the large catfish and lives in the fresh and brackish waters of the Mekong delta.
Pangasius is not the most popular fish in the world. This negative image gave birth to other names to market this catfish in different regions. In America and Australia you might buy it as "basa fish", "swai", or “bocourti”. In the UK you might buy as cobbler.
Panga wars
As mentioned before, the name tag pangasius creates a lot of emotions and concerns about quality and sustainability. But where do these come from, and what is truth and fiction?
The so called panga wars, or the catfish dispute, goes back to a trade war between the US and Vietnam in the beginning of this century. Cheap Vietnamese imports were flooding the US markets and harming the catfish growers in the United States. Protectionist measures tried to protect American farmers: American Pangasius first so to say.
With different claims and measures import was prohibited and/or a negative image was created. It had to be sold under the name Basa and the label “made in Vietnam”. Dumping allegations were raised and alleged environmental concerns about the conditions in which the fish was grown and the farmers had to work were put into the spotlights.
About pangasius farming conditions
You may know the story that farmers raise pangasius in the dirty and polluted waters of the Mekong delta in Vietnam. Well, it is true that this is the natural habitat of this large catfish. However the farmers do not grow the fish in the river itself, but in separate waters outside the river. These meet the export standards for export in other regions. So different labels ensure that (European) standards with regards to labor, medicine usage and food are met European standards. But does this mean that there is no misuse? For sure not, but eating Pangasius is not per definition unhealthy and unethical.
More resources to inform yourself
- Wikipedia page on Pangasius
- Wikipedia page on Basa (fish)
- The catfish dispute on Wikipedia
- Seafoodhealthfacts: Pangasius
- Pangasius, the moneymaker that nobody loves (from seasfoodsource.com)
More surprising.fish
If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.
[…] Pangasius fillet with tomato-saffron sauce […]