Catfish with Vegetables in Vegetable Broth, Pan-Cooked

The catfish isn't fried here. A cup of water in a pan with sautéed vegetables turns it into a wide pot, and the fish finishes cooking in a barely simmering broth — in French cooking this technique is called pocher, and it suits firm catfish meat perfectly.

It needs less time than the source recipe says. Twenty-five minutes in hot water for pieces of catfish is already overcooked fish that falls apart when moved. Fifteen is enough, and that's exactly what we set.

Celery and tomatoes go in last. Added at the start, they give everything up to the broth and turn into flavorless fibers; added five minutes before the end, they stay themselves and give the dish freshness.

The fish here is poached in broth, almost without fat. For a thicker result, try wels catfish braised in sour cream with vegetables, and in the oven the same job goes to wels catfish baked with vegetables under a lid.

Caloric content: 95kcal

Notes

• This is poaching, not frying. The fish cooks in liquid at a gentle simmer. There will be no crust at all — and there shouldn't be.
• Fifteen minutes, not twenty-five. The source gives twenty to twenty-five. Over that time the catfish pieces fall apart into fibers; we cut the time down.
• Use hot water. Cold water stops the simmer, and the vegetables turn to mush by the time it comes back.
• Cut the celery into large pieces. Finely cut celery disappears into the broth after five minutes; large pieces stay a separate part of the dish.
• Don't stir the fish. In the broth it holds together only by its own structure. Turn the pieces one at a time if needed.

Questions and Answers

How long to cook catfish in the broth?

Fifteen minutes on low heat, then another five to ten together with the celery and tomatoes.

Why does the fish fall apart?

It's overcooked. Twenty-five minutes in boiling water is too much for catfish — fifteen is enough.

Will there be a crust?

No. This is poaching in liquid; a crust isn't part of the dish's construction.

What can replace celery?

Zucchini or bell pepper. What matters is adding it at the end, so the vegetable stays itself.

Recipe and step-by-step photos — kolizhanka.net.ua.