Swai not?

Lately, my favorite fish to cook with is swai (pronounced like why but with an "s" in front). Prohibited in the U.S to be labelled as "catfish" , it is also known as striped or sutchi catfish. It is delicate and moist in texture. If you abhor a strong fishy taste or odor, then this is the variety for you. I'd put it somewhere in between regular catfish and red snapper or talapia. I've been using it in place of other whitefishes since halibut costs a fortune and talapia has gotten a bit monotonous. Swai is extremely affordable and subtle enough in taste to take on any flavors you throw its way.

I seared some swai fillets up tonight and put the remainder of the beurre blanc sauce from the other night on top. To finish it off, a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley. Melted in my mouth!

Pan-Seared Swai

Swai fillets
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Parsley, minced
Lemon


Heat up oil in a large pan.

Rinse the fillets in cold water and dry well with paper towels. Season the pretty side with salt and pepper. When the oil is glistening, add the fillets pretty side down and cook for 3 minutes undisturbed.

Flip them over and cook for another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until the fish feels a bit firm. Plate and serve immediately. Great with a squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkling of parsley or a beurre blanc (like I did tonight).