With an appearance reminiscent of a piranha on its face, the pomfret is certainly not the most attractive of aquatic animals. The dark and almost dirty-looking color of its body also does not help it stand out among its congeners in the fish market, and yet it is one of the semi-fatty fish. more vindictivecheaper than many other better known ones, healthy and tasty.
Available practically all year for purchase fresh, although with a lesser presence in spring, the autumn and winter months are ideal for rediscovering pomfret in home cooking, when the summer season has passed and the price of many species rises in view of the Christmas holidays.
As could not be expected, there is some confusion about its name, with various denominations popular in different regions of the country, which complicates the matter when we find another fish that is also called palometa, without being from the same family, the viceroy. Fortunately, they are easy to distinguish with the naked eye; and also for the price.
What is palometa or japuta
Also called black pomfret to distinguish it from the aforementioned viceroy (‘red pomfret’), this animal can also be found as chestnut, Shoemakerjaputa or chaputa, among some other less common ones.
The palometa (Bellows bellows) is a perciform fish of the bramid family, of medium height and size. Although some specimens can reach 100 cm in length, in general they have a body of about 40cmsomewhat less in the Mediterranean area.
Of body oval and compressed Laterally, it stands out for its convex, rounded head, with a short snout and a prominent lower jaw. The mouth is large, arched and very oblique, and it has prominent, very round, dark and bulging eyes. The pectoral fins, located low on the body, are very long, reaching approximately the middle of the anal fin, with a shape reminiscent of the wings of a pigeon.
It is colored dark grayalmost black, with some scales Plated and usually the end of the snout completely black, as well as the ends of the fins.
Habitat, distribution and fishing
The black pomfret is widely distributed throughout the Atlanticespecially north to Norway, and the sea Mediterraneanalso found in some areas of the Indian Ocean and the southern and northern Pacific.
It is an animal that prefers pelagic and oceanic habitats, occasionally approaching the coasts. He likes the waters temperate and it does not usually descend to depths beyond 800 or 1000 meters. Furthermore, the pomfret is a fish migratorymoving more to coastal areas in summer, during the breeding season.
Capture is allowed all year, being more favorable in autumn and winter, also with great interest for sport fishing. Currently its conservation is not in danger and it continues to be one of the most abundant and most consumed fish in many places in the world. The minimum marketing size is 200 g per specimenwhich are usually about 16 cm in length.
It’s a fish carnivorous and predator that feeds on larvae, small fish, pelagic crustaceans and small octopuses, cuttlefish or squid.
Nutritional properties and benefits
The japuta is considered a fish semi-fat blue, with about 5 g of healthy fats per 100 g of edible portion. Its energy contribution is moderate, around 125-130 kcal per 100 g. It is a great source of proteins of high biological valuehigher than other common fish, with about 20 g of total protein per 100g.
We are therefore faced with a very nutritious and beneficial fish to add to the usual diet, recommending the consumption of fish a few 3-4 times a week, trying to vary between white and blue. Its mercury content is medium, so it can be part of the balanced diet of all age groups.
Although it does not contain as many as salmon or sardines, it is a good source of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acidsas well as minerals (selenium, phosphorus, potassium, iodine) and group B vitamins, niacin and vitamin D.
How to use the pomfret in the kitchen
We can find whole specimens of palometa or japuta in fishmongers and fish markets throughout the country. With an approximate size of ration In the average specimens, we only have to treat this fish as if it were a sea bream or a sea bass, and we can ask for its meat to be separated into steaks or they simply open it, clean, to make stuffed or on the back, or baked with vegetables.
Larger animals lend themselves to cutting into tacosideal for stewing or preparing stews, soupy rice, fideuá or creamy seafood rice, also for cook in sauce or thread onto skewers. Other common and very comfortable presentations in the kitchen are slices and the loinswhich can be cooked in the oven or on the grill, as we would do, for example, with the grilled emperor.
Its meat is firm, juicy and tasty, does not have too many bones nor are they difficult to remove and is usually well accepted by children who are less fond of fish, although it is advisable to remove the skin, which is somewhat tough. Although it has a somewhat dark raw color, whitens once cooked. It is very suitable for making fish croquettes, meatballs or savory cakes.
Among the most traditional preparations of pomfret in our country, a marinade similar to dogfish in adobo stands out, in marinara sauce with potatoes, in a simple green sauce or also in the classic tomato sauce. It is also very common to cook it breaded or battered and fried. For the holidays, it can be a good substitute for sea bream, much cheaper.
All the Fish: New Ways to Cook, Eat, and Think (Themed Cooking) Hardcover Josh Niland (Author)
*Some prices may have changed since the last review
Photos | iStock/antpun – Pescaderías Antonio Municio – Mullai’s SpiceIndiaOnline – R☼Wεnα
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