Swai Fish?

QSis

QSis

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Just got my supermarket sale flyers for next week and saw that they have "swai filets" on sale for $3.99/lb.

Haven't seen that price for a white fish since before tilapia became popular!

Has anyone tried it? Similar to catfish, supposedly, which I like.

I'm going to get some and will report.

Lee
 
Just another name for catfish, as far as I can tell.
Tastes the same, cooks the same. I quite like both.
 
That's what my boss at the resort says it is and I really like it, also. Actually, I can't taste any difference between Swal Fish and a good mess of catfish. Gooooooood stuff! Another type of fish that's delicious if you're willing to painstakingly filet it and pick all the tiny little bones out of it, is Carp. A lot of work for very little meat but well worth the effort! Especially if it's smoked!

Ian :eat1:
 
I agree with Kimchee and Ian, it is catfish. We have it about once every two weeks. I take it and put some lemon pepper and paprika on it, a table spoon of butter, wrap it in tin foil then in the oven at 350 checking after 20 to 30 minutes. Thicker takes a bit longer so check it as you don't want to over cook it. I've also fried it but much prefer it cooked as described first.
 
Ohhhhhh, so it IS catfish!

Your recipe sounds good and easy, Joe - thanks!

I like white fish with the Ritz cracker/butter/garlic crumbs on it, then baked. Think this will okay like that? Like haddock?

Lee
 
I don't buy it, And don't eat it knowingly I buy farmed or wild caught catfish local. But thats just me. CF:D

Insert on swai and other imported catfish.
Many consumers believe that Swai meat is unclean, contaminated and dangerous to consume. Therefore, they avoid these fish altogether, even though the Swai fillets tend to be quite inexpensive. Let’s see if these fish are really poisonous. Is it possible to minimize the health risks, while enjoying the frugal, tasty panga fillets from a local fish market?
The Mekong River is one of the most polluted waterways in the world. Numerous factories get rid of the chemical byproducts, dumping them into the streams. While pangasius fish can survive in such an extreme environment, they absorb all these contaminants. As omnivores, they eat whatever is available in the environment. Some breeders feed the fish trash and rotting matter to cut down the cost of the Swai aquaculture. Pangasius fish bred in such circumstances, indeed, contain the toxic chemicals.

You can read the whole story here:
http://www.totalfisherman.com/blog/1761/swai-fish-information-facts/
 
I'm with you, CF. If I want some catfish, and I often do, I will buy Mississippi farm raised catfish. I know it cost more, but I am not going to eat that stuff raised in China or in other countries in that part of the world......
I know some of the Catfish places down here tried selling this kind of stuff rather than the real Mississippi farm raised catfish because of the cost, but some of them went out of business or had to go back to the real stuff.
 
QSis said:
Ohhhhhh, so it IS catfish!

Your recipe sounds good and easy, Joe - thanks!

I like white fish with the Ritz cracker/butter/garlic crumbs on it, then baked. Think this will okay like that? Like haddock?

Lee
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Last time I actually used some lemon/roasted garlic butter I make up, instead of the lemon pepper and like it even better. I did use pepper on the fish as wells as some smoked paprika. It is simple and fast though and goes good with tarter sauce or some of dipping sauces.
 
it's similar to "catfish" but is not "legally" catfish and therefore not subject to the inspections/rules/regs of "catfish"

most of it is farm raised and imported from Asia, with little or no
supervision/reporting of conditions.

personally I have ceased buying any seafood / shellfish imported from Asia.

if you need a chuckle on how your tax dollars work, search USDA / Dept of Ag / FDA for catfish inspection programs/policies/etc.
 
Okay, well I cooked the fish tonight and it was absolutely excellent! WAY better tasting and better texture than catfish, more like a haddock or cod! LOVED it!

I did the topping of Ritz crackers, butter, garlic. parsley and a splash of wine. Baked at 375 for 17 minutes. DELICIOUS!

Served with steamed rutabaga (yellow "turnip") with fresh sage, and fresh tomato with basil (gotta use the fresh herbs while I have them!)

I hope this fish is not bad for me, because I love it!

Lee
 

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It certainly looks delicious. Love that inside shot, it shows the flakiness, which certainly looks flakier than the catfish that I get. I'm still kind of undecided on Swai though. I think I'll stick with my Delta Pride catfish.

It would be interesting to hear what the seafood dept mgr has to say about its origins and what he thinks about the possibility that it isn't good for you.
 
:good:Okay, so now I get the bottom line from my boss at the resort! I copied CF's FDA quotes and took them over to show him and his reply was, "Ian, you asked me what the stuff is and I told you - that doesn't mean I'd ever cook it professionally or serve it to patrons of the resort restaurant!"

He pretty much agrees with the report that the swal fish is full of things you'd never eat if you knew ahead of time they were there. But, like Lee, I've eaten it, well cooked (Lee, your's looks absolutely delicious!) and I liked it a lot. Really couldln't tell the diffirence between Swal and good, farm-raised catfish. Except that as Lee pointed out, it is really flaky - more like haddock or cod.

Ian :good:
 
I've been reading up on it, and "the catfish wars". Swai may be getting an undeserved bad rap.

If so, I want to get as much of it as I can, before everyone finds out it's clean and excellent, and the price doubles, the way it did with tilapia!

Lee
 
QSis said:
I've been reading up on it, and "the catfish wars". Swai may be getting an undeserved bad rap.

If so, I want to get as much of it as I can, before everyone finds out it's clean and excellent, and the price doubles, the way it did with tilapia!

Lee
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Yup! A freezer load of it can't hurt anything - if it turns out to be bad, well, you can always dispose of it and if it turns out to be okay, you're way ahead of the stampede!! A very good idea!


Ian :bounce:
 
Are you continuing to eat this fish? I never heard of it till today's re-call notice.

I'm reluctant to try asian pond raised fish/shrimp products due to sewage contamination and the like. Maybe I'm too fussy in my old age?
 
Johnny West said:
Are you continuing to eat this fish? I never heard of it till today's re-call notice.

I'm reluctant to try asian pond raised fish/shrimp products due to sewage contamination and the like. Maybe I'm too fussy in my old age?
Click to expand...

Wow, my last post on the subject was almost THREE YEARS ago!

And I believe that was the last time I saw it in the store.

It was recalled, huh?

Lee
 
I still don't eat swai or basa. Basa comes from the Mekong river.
I only buy USA farmed raised or local caught. I haven seen how they are raised and what they are fed. Some brands have US sounding names, read the label. CF
 
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