When I give talks on how to nourish yourself using local vegetables, I always touch on being mindful of where your animal proteins come from. Most people know about organic chicken, grass-fed beef, and cage-free eggs, but most will gasp when I mention that even seafood isn’t always safe.
Early in my marriage, I served my husband his favorite: bangus belly. After 15 minutes, we both had swollen mouths, tongues, and faces—much like Will Smith’s character in “Hitch” whenever he has an allergic reaction. When the doctor checked on us in the hospital, he asked “Did you eat bangus?” How did he know? Turns out there are hundreds of cases of food poisoning from the farmed fish we know and love.
It has to do with the habitat they were farmed in, how well it was kept, and what they were fed.
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At the last Philippine Food Month exhibition a few months ago, I discovered a stall selling flying fish. This group was helping fisherfolk in Mindoro to process (dry), package, and sell flying fish to a larger market. This led me to search for more sustainable local species to try.
Avoiding farmed fish is a good start, especially in the Philippines where we have so many fish to choose from. Farmed fish live in crowded conditions and are given antibiotics to mitigate disease. The waste and chemicals from the pens flow out to the ocean, often contaminating the water and other fish in the area. The same antibiotics, chemicals, and feed given to the fish are also consumed by humans at the end of the day.
The first company I tried is Meliomar, which provides seafood to many high-end establishments in Manila and Cebu, and is partnered with several companies abroad. A big plus for me is that they have USAID’s Fishright program’s seal of approval for making sure they comply with its strict guidelines on fishing and preserving and enhancing marine biodiversity.
The term “sustainable” is thrown around way too much these days that I am extremely doubtful of several products. I’ve seen other sources of fish labeled as such in several stores but priced very highly with no information of where it’s from. Meliomar’s seafood was well priced and they can tell you exactly where the fish is from.
They pride themselves on supporting artisanal fishing and traceability—they know the fishing vessel’s name, registration, home port, the date of departure, days at sea, species information, and even the supply chain integrity. Not to mention, each fish has its own ID number!
The fish they sell come from small fishing boats that use single line J hooks. Their shrimps are sold under the brand name Selva Shrimp (I saw this in S&R!), which are grown in the mangroves to preserve the ecosystem. This means your Selva Shrimp are eating the food they should be eating, not dodgy feed.
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The lead time to order fresh fish from Meliomar is three days, but if they can source it sooner, they send it as soon as possible. I was happy to see some of my favorite local fish in their offerings: mahi mahi, talakitok (which I only previously ate in Palawan), octopus, and snapper.
My order arrived a day after I placed it. I could not believe how fresh the fish was, as it was sourced and caught the night before and sent to Meliomar in the morning to process and was in my kitchen by 10 a.m. The fish was so fresh it took no time to freeze.
The best way to enjoy freshly caught fish is to lightly season it to bring out its full, natural flavor. I have only ever seen mahi mahi in Manila sold in portions and was surprised to see how long a whole fillet actually is. I absolutely love mahi mahi so I made a dish I once had with my dad in Rodeo Drive. Sometimes it takes a little more effort to be able to find food that is good for you. The extra perk is that you can enjoy fresh and truly sustainable fish delivered right to your doorstep.
Rodeo Drive Mahi MahiIngredients:
4 fillets mahi mahi, skin off 2 tbsp Olive oil Squeeze of lemon Handful parsley Salt Pepper Paprika Pineapple-corn saladIngredients:
½ cup pineapple, diced 1 cup white or yellow corn, grated ½ red bell pepper, diced 2 tbsps olive oil 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tbsp lemon juice Directions Prepare your fish: season with a little olive oil, squeeze of lemon, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Let it sit for a few minutes. Heat up a pan and add the remaining olive oil. Sear the mahi mahi fillets on both sides till cooked through. Prepare your salad by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve your mahi mahi fillets over the pineapple-corn salad and garnish with parsley.
Take your first step towards consuming sustainable and fresh seafood with Meliomar by sending an email to [email protected] or by calling them at +63 917 523 8442. slotslv