Catfish making their way into Swiss restaurants

Europe’s biggest freshwater fish, which is increasingly present in Swiss lakes, is also being touted for its culinary merits in French-speaking Switzerland. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox On the face of it, the catfish might not look appetising, with its large flattened head, wide mouth of tiny teeth, long whiskers and small eyes. It’s also a monster that can grow up to 2.70 metres long and weigh around 100kg. But as a fillet, minced or sliced, pan-fried, roasted, poached or cold-smoked, catfish is widely praised by fishermen in French-speaking Switzerland, according to the Keystone-ATS news agency. They say it's a rather noble fish that can even be compared to pike, monkfish or pike-perch. It’s also excellent value for money, they say. Spreading to Lake Geneva Catfish have been making a name for themselves in Swiss lakes for some 20 years now. The most recent figures from the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) date from 2023, when more than ...