Package of frozen SWAI at Kroger

There’s a new fish in town (at least at Kroger) , and it’s called SWAI and I love it!  Have you noticed the price of fish lately?  What used to be a reasonable price per pound has now ballooned to $10 to $15 !  Affording a nice healthy low cost seafood meal for your family has become almost impossible.  

Well, now there’s a solution, and it’s called SWAI.  SWAI,  or pangasius hypophthalmus  (also know as BASA, PANGA, or iridescent shark)  is a product of South Asia. It’s actually not a shark at all. It is farm raised in the Mekong Delta, Viet Nam.  The fillets are all frozen in seperate individual packets, about 10 ” long  by 3″ wide  3/8″ thick.  The firm mild flesh is white and sweet………perfect for grilling, baking, broiling, or frying.  Swai cost from $3 to $4 per pound, which is an amazing price for such a versatile seafood component.  I have personally, grilled it, fried it , sauced it, and used it chopped with crab or shrimp to make cakes (but that’s another recipe).   All this and at only 90 calories and 3 grams of fat it makes a VERY HEALTHY meal!  I recently served this fish to a couple of my buddies from our Sportsmen’s Club.  These guys are true fish aficionados, and they said it was the best they ever had!  So, here’s the recipe:

Pan Fried Basa/Swai with lemon butter Sauce

2 thin swai/basa/panga fillets

2 TBS minced red onion

2 toes minced fresh garlic

¼ cup white wine

¼ cup brodo (chicken stock…optional)

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 TBS capers

2 TBS olive oil for frying

2 TBS butter for sautéing onions & garlic

2-3 TBS  butter for sauce

3 TBS chopped parsley

• In a medium sauce pan, lightly sauté fish, both sides
• Remove semi cooked fish to warm platter
•  Add onions in 2 TBS butter, add garlic, cook two minutes
• Add wine, stock,  heat and reduce   
• Add cream,  capers, thicken a little more
• Add fish back into pan……cook 2 minutes
• Whisk in rest of the butter to reduced wine mixture, very low heat
• Add ½ of the parsley, pour thickened sauce under then over fish
• Serve on warmed plates
• Garnish with parsley

Oh, and by the way….it’s FILLET  (fill- it) of fish, and FILET (fill-aye) of beef.

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