Origin
The Red barbun belongs to the Mullidae family which includes 55 different species.
The red barbun is found mainly in the eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Seas. They prefer soft, sandy soil and swim to a depth of 2-20 m.
In coastal subtropical waters, such as the Azores, one can also find red barbs at a depth of 65 meters. In summer, the red barbun generally stays longer near the coast, while from autumn to spring it can be seen in deeper waters.
About 40,000 tonnes are caught in the Mediterranean each year.
Barbunul Food
It feeds on fish that live in small groups in temperate and tropical seas.
Under the jaw, it has two strands in the form of long whiskers with which it detects, feels and tastes food.
They consume small crustaceans, worms, mollusks, which they look for in cirques on sandy bottoms.
Features Barbunul
It can reach a length of 35 cm, although on average it has less, about 20 cm at a weight of 1.5 kilograms.
Even if it is difficult to find through our fisheries and is a little peppery at the price , barbun remains a special fish for special occasions. It has pink flesh, and its taste makes you think of seafood.
Special days also require special meals. Special dishes, luxury dishes maybe. Not necessarily to amaze our guests, but also for ourselves to give the value that is due to the event.
If you want to buy red barbun you need to pay attention to the freshness indicators of the fish. Take into account the smell, but do not forget about the color of the meat either. When the fish is very fresh, the meat should be a bright pink, very firm.
If you have decided to buy it, barbun must be cooked in no time, because it is very perishable. If you can not prepare it on the day it was purchased, the barbun should be put in aluminum foil, in the coldest place in the refrigerator.
It enjoys a great appreciation among gourmets due to the fact that, having fatter meat, its taste is close to that of seafood.
This association is made largely because the barbun feeds on all kinds of mollusks, hence its meat borrows some of the flavors. Even after being cooked, the barbun retains the scent of the sea, and its flesh becomes soft.
Even the liver of this fish is considered a delicacy. Most of the time it is sold without being cleaned just so that the liver can be "picked" by Cooks and prepared as such.
At such rare dishes, and the price is the same. A serving of grilled barbun garnished with all kinds of spices brought from the shores of the Mediterranean costs about 25 euros.
From stores you can buy barbun heavier, because it costs around 35 lei / kg and has no demand. Most prefer to consume it in the restaurant, the costs and effort being much lower than prepared at home.
Breeding Barbunul
Although benthic fish live solitary, gathering in cards only during spawning, barbun live all their lives in small cards, exploring food-rich bottoms.
Breeding takes place in the months from June to July.
