Mick popped to the supermarket last night and came home with this River Cobbler. I've never heard of it before but he thought it was worth picking up as it was in the reduced section. He figured if I didn't like it, Archie would.
Has anyone tried this before? I popped it straight in to the freezer but I'm looking forward to giving it a go. It's definitely worth a try for 22p, just 10% of what it should have cost.
I do like getting a bargain.
It is a good bargain I hope you use it. We have had unsmoked river cobbler before which I used in fish pie. Try a little piece of it to see if you like it it might be nice in place of haddock in a smoked haddock chowder xx
ReplyDeleteA chowder sounds like a good idea, I do hope I like it.
DeleteWow Jo ... a winner.
ReplyDeleteRiver Cobbler or Basa is a Vietnamese fish and is an excellent alternative to cod.
You could cook it simply with herbs and some lime juice, or in a tomato sauce or even using some Boursin cheese and olives like this one here:
http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/cod-with-olives-and-boursin.html
or a fish bake like this here: http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=cod+with+tomato
However you cook it, do enjoy it - and pictures would be nice please.
All the best Jan
The fish bake looks nice. I'll certainly let you know how I get on.
DeleteHi again Jo ... I found this recipe that looks good too
Deletehttp://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/16997/river-cobbler-in-dill-sauce.aspx
All the best Jan
Thanks for that, it looks good, and nice and easy too which is a winner in my book.
DeleteWe ate river cobbler for a few years as an alternative to smoked haddock. It tastes very similar and is great in fish pie! I would still be buying it but I do my main grocery shop as Asda who have now started selling basa instead xx
ReplyDeleteI love haddock so I'm sure I'll enjoy it if it tastes similar.
DeleteNom nom! I love river cobbler. I used to get it all the time when we lived near an Asda attwo fillets for £4 but don't now unfortunately. I think it is called Vietnamese something sometimes. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteIt does say on the packaging that it's from Vietnam. I'm pleased to hear that other people enjoy it, I've never heard of it before.
DeleteI think it is a type of river catfish. It (or a similar fish) is mentioned in my 'Rose's Thai Cafe cookery book'. In fact, she has a recipe for a dish that originally used river catfish, but she adapted if for the British fish market, using cod or haddock. I cooked it with haddock, it was delicious and only took minutes to cook. If I remember, I can take a photo of the recipe and email it to you.
ReplyDeleteOooh, that would be great, thanks. I'm not very confident when cooking fish, mainly because it's a rare occurrence.
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteRiver cobbler is a fish from Vietnam. Its is a very "meaty" fish and holds its shape well when cooked but lacks in any kind of flavour. It needs added flavourings to make it palateable. Yours looks like it could be smoked as its usually white so may have a bit of flavour already. I find it useful to bulk out fish pie as its so cheap.
The downside is that a while ago it was given a LOT of very bad press. There was a scare that it was farmed in dirty Vietnamese waters and that there was the risk of diseases being spread. I read up quite a bit on it and finally decided that it couldnt be that much of a threat or the main supermarkets wouldnt be selling it.
It also goes by another couple of names such as Basa and Panga.
I have never experienced any problems after eating this fish but some people say they have had symptoms similar to food poisoning. Just google it and you can read the comments for yourself. Hope this helps, jane xx
Yes, this is smoked so I should think that will add a bit of flavour to it. I agree with your way of thinking, I'm sure there'll have been plenty of tests done to ensure it's safe to eat. Eeek, there is a lot of bad press on the internet about it, though there's lots of good comments too. I suppose it's a case of trying it for yourself and seeing what you think. I'll let you know how I get on.
DeleteI'm not a great fish eater myself wither but I've tried this before. It doesn't have much of a taste to be honest. I prefer cod or haddock to the river cobbler which is really just sold as a cheaper alternative to cod and haddock.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to trying it now to see what it's like. This is smoked so that might give it a little taste, we'll see.
Deletewe have tried it and didn't like it and didn't give it to Moss. We prefer to eat smoked haddock and not very often but now you've mentioned it I might pop to Morrisons to buy some :-)
ReplyDeleteI love smoked haddock, we had it very often when I was a child and it's one type of fish I do buy and eat occasionally. I think Archie would eat any type of fish, he absolutely loves the stuff.
DeleteOoh lovely, we have started eating more fish, we have always loved it but son is not keen. x
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy fish but I struggle to get the rest of the family to eat it so it's not something I cook very often.
DeleteI'm ashamed to admit that I'd not heard of this before.
ReplyDeleteLiz
You're not the only one, I've never heard of it before either. I'm looking forward to trying it though.
DeleteDon't forget the creamy mash to go with it. I've not tried it but comments here make me think I would get some if I see it.
ReplyDeleteNow you're talking. I love mashed potatoes with fish.
DeleteI want us to eat more fish - one of my favourite dishes is chowder as mentioned above, but I'll look up this recipe not so sure hubby and tomatoes with fish but am wiling to give it a go.
ReplyDeleteI love trying new things and Eleanor will give most things a try but Mick and Daniel aren't very adventurous at all, still, they eat a wider variety of things than they used to so I'm grateful for that.
DeleteI use it to bulk out a fish pie when feeding the whole family when they are home, as it is a cheap alternative. Hope you enjoy it, what a bargain price.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that a lot of people use it as a filler rather than a fish they enjoy eating on its own. I'm willing to give it a try though, especially at that price.
DeleteThis is new to me, but as I prefer fish to meat I would certainly give it a try especially if it was at a bargain price. My husband wouldn't pick up fish when out shopping as he loves meat, but I like to have variety and meatless meals. I'm always having to think what to cook when our daughter comes for a meal as she's a vegetarian, although she will eat fish and chips or mashed potato and I usually serve that or pasta with plain tomato sauce.
ReplyDeleteMick's the same, he loves his meat and would never choose fish. I have picky eaters in the family but a vegetarian would throw me completely, at least your daughter will eat fish so that makes things a bit easier.
DeleteI like and eat fish but haven't tried this before. The other comments here are interesting. I hope that you enjoy it. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteThey're very interesting comments. I just thought it was a fish I hadn't heard of before but there's lots about it on the internet, it makes for some very interesting reading.
DeleteI've never heard of them. To be honest we are not very big fish eaters either. Does Archie actually like fish? TIvvy isn't keen - I think she sees it as cat food. It's a good job that she wasn't put on a convalescent diet after her op. last week
ReplyDeleteI hadn't either. Archie loves fish. We used to have a cat who thought he was a dog, he'd chase after balls and bring them back and I think Archie sometimes thinks he's a cat, he loves fish and milk too. I do hope that Tivvy is on the mend and that the op wasn't for anything serious, they do give us things to worry about from time to time, don't they?
DeleteIt was serious and at the time very worrying. She had a tail amputation but is happily on the mend.
DeleteOh my goodness, I bet you were out of your minds with worry. I'm so pleased to hear that she's on the mend now. I hope she's getting lots of treats like cooked chicken, that's another of Archie's favourites.
DeleteI have never heard of this fish either but that was a good bargain!
ReplyDeleteI always head straight for the reduced counter when I go in the supermarket and Mick does too these days.
DeleteIt won't surprise you to hear I've never tried but, but I do like smoked haddock so if you do think it's similar I'd like to know.
ReplyDeleteHad to give it a go for that price!
Lisa x
Smoked haddock is one of my favourites and probably the fish I buy most often so if this is anything like it, I'll be pleased. I'll let you know.
DeleteHope this comment actually appears as the comment on your last post went to the wide yonder, me thinks. I'll admit to not buying anything from some countries due to health scares and never seen anything called that here. We try and eat fish at least once a week, even if a meal from a tin of salmon/tuna, though I loooove fresh salmon. Let's hear what you do with it and how it tasted. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry your last comment was lost, I've checked in the spam folder and it's not there either. I'm not a lover of salmon, that's one fish none of the family like but it's something my mum and dad eat regularly.
DeleteNot a fish that I have ever come across, you will have to let us know what it is like! We don't eat much fish, but we try to have it at least once a week. xx
ReplyDeleteOne a week is more often than we eat it, in fact, when I do cook fish, it's usually just for me.
Delete22p is indeed a bargain. I've used cobbler before but it wasn't smoked. You could use it in a fish pie - mix it with some unsmoked fish, mix in some white sauce and top it with tatties. Delish! :o)
ReplyDeleteA fish pie sounds good, I might just use it in this way. I'll have to keep a look out in the reduced section and see if I can pick up some unsmoked fish at a bargainous price too.
DeleteI'm the only one in our house who likes fish, so I tend not to have it. What a bargain, hope you enjoy it xx
ReplyDeleteMe too. It seems a waste making it just for yourself, doesn't it. I do get fed up of fussy eaters, my diet would be a lot more varied if it wasn't for them.
DeleteIt looks delicious, and certainly can't complain for 22p :) i'll have to keep an eye out when we go shopping , we're always looking for new fish to add to fish pie xx
ReplyDeleteIt does look good, I hope it tastes the same. I think I'll probably use it in a fish pie, I'll look out for some other fish to add to it.
Deletetinned crab (or fresh if you can afford it) is delicious in fish pie, or peppered haddock :)
DeleteI'd have never thought to add crab and I've never tried peppered haddock so thanks for that, I'll see what I can find.
DeleteYou're welcome :) my hubby is a chef so he is good at improvising and experimenting haha xx
DeleteHow lovely. I bet you don't have picky eaters in your house.
DeleteBasa is commonly seen here, but just in it's plain version (not smoked) - and certainly never at that price! My husband didn't eat much fish when we met way back when, simply because he wasn't exposed to it (other than fish and chips!). It wasn't too much of a struggle to get him to try new things and now he quite enjoys it. Good thing too as I LOVE seafood!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy seafood but the rest of the family aren't keen. We had Daniel's girlfriend staying over Christmas and new year so I made the most of having someone else in the house who will eat most things and made paella for myself, her and Eleanor on one of the days she was here. Mick and Daniel decided they'd have something different, as usual.
DeleteWhile this is a type of fish I do not have any experience with, I feel much more enlightened after reading through the comments. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't cook fish all that often but it's good to get to know more about types I'm not familiar with.
DeleteA reduction from over £2 to 22p is incredible. We don't eat fish in our household because I really don't like it and Mark only likes it in batter. If it's a meaty fish it may work well as a fish pie.... or do your family like fish cakes? Jx
ReplyDeleteI never thought of fish cakes. I like them but again, the family don't.
DeleteJust a thought, even though it might still just be within it's eat by date, after being in the supermarket so long it mightn't taste quite as nice as if it were really fresh, but I'd think it ideal for fish cakes. It looks to be a smoked fish, being that colour. Not heard of river cobbler before.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
I think you might be right. I've popped it in the freezer for now but I shall definitely do something with it soon.
DeleteMy friend buys river cobbler every week and enjoys it. I have some in the freezer which I've yet to try. Married to man who will only eat fish with a batter on it. As we're trying to lose weight he's been looking at Slimming World cookery book and is going to cook this fish for me.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I too enjoy battered fish, not such a healthy option though. I'd be interested to hear what you think of River Cobbler once your husband's cooked it for you.
DeleteNow that IS a bargain! You'll have to let us know what it was like, I don't think I've tried river cobbler before. We eat quite a bit of fish but I mainly buy cod, haddock or salmon. xx
ReplyDeleteI must admit that it's usually haddock or cod when I buy fish. I'll certainly let you know what river cobbler's like when I try it.
DeleteI've never heard of it before. But hey....for 22p what's not to like, as you say, Archie will be happy with it!!!xxx
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of it either. Archie will definitely be pleased with it even if we're not keen.
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