Reinventing A Pasta Dish with Sarangani Bay Premium Bangus

Since I was in grade school about in Grade 3 to be exact I was introduced and taught by my Mother on how to go to the market to buy fresh produce. She lists down all the things I need to buy and the price for each of the items. 

At the age of nine, I have learned how to distinguish fresh to the ones that are not. From vegetables, pork, chicken and most especially seafood. Then when I reach home I will help out in the kitchen to clean the stuff I bought from the market and eventually learned how to cook. I was a fast learner and that was the reason why when I became a mom I enjoyed experimenting dishes with my own kids to enjoy.

I always believe that food is the greatest thing a person can share with someone while enjoying good memories.

A few weeks ago I received this box package with a cute blue bow wrapped in it. It was so nice to see a styrofoam box delivered to you and getting surprised at what's inside.

It was a box full of vacuumed seal packs Sarangani Bay Premium Bangus! 

As I was pulling out each of the pack from the box I got excited of the dishes i can whip up using this variety of bangus (milkfish) preparation. 

Even in my regular market day, seafood are always a part of my list. My daughter loves to each fish and shrimp that she can have it anytime of the day. I love how she can picked all the bones from a fish even if it is fried or with any sauce in a dish. And, since this bangus were all boneless she can enjoy it even more! 

As parents we need to introduce our kids to eating seafood as it will benefit them today and in the later part of their growing years. 

Why Seafood?

Seafood has always been a favorite to many especially the Filipinos due to having an abundant supply in the agricultural and fisheries sector.

- It provides various health benefits due to the vitamins and minerals it contains such as iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin B1, folic acid, and especially the omega-3 fatty acids that is known to prevent heart diseases.

- The fat in seafood is also combats other diseases such as: Arthritis, Asthma, Diabetes, Lupus, Prostate tumors and even breast cancer.

- Apart from the nutrients seafood offers, it also helps to easily achieve a healthy and fit lifestyle because it has less calories and fat compared to chicken, pork, and beef.

- Filipinos love “Bangus” (Milkfish), which is the country’s national fish. 

And, as my kids know me I love to invent and reinvent dishes when I am in the kitchen. I always use what is available and what it taste good based on my imagination. From the box full of Sarangani Bay Premium Bangus I picked the Smoked Boneless Milkfish for my pasta dish, the recipe below.

Pesto Pasta with Sarangani Bay Smoked Milkfish 

Ingredients: 

1-cup Sarangani Bay Smoked Milkfish flakes (half portion for garnishing)

200 grams Malunggay pasta (boiled and drained)

1- pack McCormick pesto powder or you can make your own pesto sauce

(olive oil, pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, ground pepper, grated cheese) 

3 tbsp- olive oil

1-cup cream

1/2 minced white onion

1-cup grated cheese for thickening the sauce

chopped black olives 

chili powder 

1. Set aside the cooked pasta and leave some pasta water for later use.

2. Sautee onion in olive oil in a sauce pan.

3. Add the milkfish flakes and cooked it for a minute. Do not stir vigorously to maintain the fish flakes pieces.

4. Add cream, mix and cover. 

5. Add the pesto powder mix, then add the grated cheese and olives.

6. Adjust the taste according to your preference.

7. Garnish it with the flakes, olives and a dash of chili pepper on top.

Verdict: I got a thumbs up from my daughter! 

The family loved it and the taste of the fish really blends well with the pesto sauce. Making it even more creamy to taste and nutritious too!

I enjoyed flaking the fried smoked bangus because it was boneless and when I was frying it the aroma was delicious. Compared to the regular smoked fish I am buying in the local market that are not pack sealed. 

Why BUY frozen seafood?

1. It’s not true that “fresh” fish is always better than frozen fish. Seafood should be frozen as soon as possible after being caught but cost and logistics make this difficult for many fishermen. Often fresh fish is NOT fresh as it may have sat on insufficient ice for days before reaching the market.

2. The best way to enjoy fresh frozen fish is to select brands sold by established seafood processors with a reputation for consistently excellent quality.

3.  Sarangani Bay is the most trusted and largest processor of premium quality bangus and other processed seafood products. It is also the country’s largest exporter of the said products.

4. Synonymous to the brand name is Sarangani Bay, the marine sanctuary of the premium quality bangus and is located at Southern Mindanao. The clean and fresh water of Sarangani Bay is bred by the Alsons Aquaculture Corporation—the only integrated farm to market fish processing operations in the country.

5. Commercially packaged frozen fish can taste as good as fresh caught harvests because they are carefully “fresh frozen” within a very short time after being caught, locking in freshness and flavor.

6.  Not only the most trusted and largest in the country, Sarangani Bay is also a favorite overseas: like US, Canada, Guam, Australia, China and Middle East.

7. To maintain the freshness of the fish products, Sarangani Bay practices the cold chain management that is critical in maintaining the premium quality they offer compared to other fish processors.

8. There are numerous options to choose from among Sarangani Bay’s products ranging from:

- Marinated (http://www.saranganibay.com.ph/marinated/)
- Unseasoned (http://www.saranganibay.com.ph/unseasoned/)
- Frozen (http://www.saranganibay.com.ph/pre-cooked/)
- Cooked bangus products

9. One of the Sarangani Bay’s must try-products are the interesting yet delicious bangus sisig, boneless tocino, and boneless tapa. 
To know more about Sarangani Bay, visit www.saranganibay.com.ph.

*** all photos are property of this blog.

***products were sent to me by the brand for product unbiased review.