Every Day is Fish Day

Recently I was invited to a Food Bloggers evening on behalf of Lyons Seafoods.  I was very excited to attend, especially given the description of the event and whilst this was taking place in East London I would be taken to and from the event by cab.  This made quite a difference to my willingness to attend as it would otherwise have been an awkward journey especially as the event started at 6:00 pm.

The venue as an absolutely stunning loft apartment, a converted Victorian factory (previously used in Victorian times to manufacture zips and suspenders) just off the Kingsland Road in Shoreditch, East London.  This area is not known to be a well off area of London but when we passed through the security gates to the courtyard it was fantastic.  Very modern and contemporary buildings and companies within the courtyard.  The apartment can be hired out for photo shoots and corporate events such as the one I was attending. (www.studiohirefirstoption.com)

On arrival (I was accompanied by my fish foodie friend Mandy) we were offered cocktails with either a gin base or a vodka base, lots of nibbles and a chance to chat to the hosts (Cirkle Beaconsfield www.cirkle.com and Lyons Seafoods who are one of the UK’s leading seafood suppliers -  www.lyons-seafoods.com or www.lyonsseafoods.co.uk )  Once the rest of the diners (there were only 12 of us) arrived we went into the kitchen and they had put on a chef to cook us each one of their new range of seafood meals which will be found in the chiller cabinet of the supermarket.  Sainsburys are the first to stock this range which I will describe in detail below.

The chef was using the latest 28cm wok from Tefal – Sensorielle range designed to be the latest in non-stick, thermo-spot technology/ easy use-easy clean www.tefal.com) and each meal was to serve two people with the addition of rice or noodles as appropriate. 

There was also a lovely lady there to show us how to add the nice little extra touches to our meals before serving like edible flowers for garnish and loads of other hints. 

 It was a very relaxed atmosphere where we felt free to ask questions and one lady even had a go flipping the wok contents chef style instead of using a wooden spoon to stir.

As our food was cooked (and each dish took an average of only 6-7 minutes from pack to wok to plate with no mess and no wastage) we went into the other room to a lavishly set table and were offered lots of wine with our meal.  It was great to sit, eat and chat to fellow bloggers in such a relaxed setting. 

Time passed quickly and when it was time for our respective carriages to arrive we were presented with a fantastic goodie bag for coming!  Each goodie bag included one of each of the new meals that Lyons Seafoods are launching and a Tefal Sensorielle range 28cm wok to stir fry them at home. 

I certainly had a fantastic evening and hope the photos can give you some idea of the style and settings of the evening.

The range of meals that Lyons Seafoods have launched are four meals to be found in the chiller cabinet of the supermarket.  They are priced at £5.99 (don’t forget this feeds two people)

The idea of the range is something quick and easy to prepare when you get home after a very busy day or late shift that is fresh and nutritious and still tastes great.  I think they have achieved their aim and I certainly will be purchasing these products in the future. 

There is the main ingredient, a fish or collection of fish, fresh stir fry vegetables and an appropriate fresh sauce all individually wrapped in a cardboard sleeve.  The range is not freezer friendly so you can’t be ultra organised but they do have a good fridge life so you can plan ahead a few days in advance.

My favourite was the Thai Sweet Chilli King Prawns.  

This is a delicious combination of king prawns, crunchy water chestnuts, baby sweetcorn and mange tout with a tangy thai sweet chilli sauce – you just need to serve with noodles.  The Chef’s tip on the packet suggests sprinkling some chopped red chillies for added warmth and stirring a few drops of sesame oil through the cooked noodles prior to serving. The packaging has very easy to follow instructions, clear ingredient list and nutritional & allergy information. There is also recycling information on the package. 

I could not rate the remaining three in order of preference because they were all so different and I loved them all.  I will just tell you about them in no particular order.

 Classic rich Catalan Fish Stew:

A lovely combination of cod, squid and chorizo with Mediterranean vegetables and a classic red wine and smoked paprika sauce to be served with crusty ciabatta bread.  Chef’s tips to rub a clove of garlic onto toasted Mediterranean bread and drizzle with olive oil to serve.

Hot and aromatic Malaysian King Prawn Laksa:

A distinctive and creative combination of king prawns, baby sweetcorn, ripe cherry tomatoes with crunchy green beans and a fragrant coconut sauce to be served with rice.  The Chef’s tips would be to sprinkle with red chillies for added spice (if you feel it needs it) and stir fresh chopped coriander and lime juice through the rice just before serving.

 Hot and spiced Kerala Seafood Curry:

A creative combination of cod, salmon and king prawns with chick peas, sweet mango and baby spinach and an Indian spiced, aromatic coconut sauce suggested to be served with rice.  I am not usually a fan of hot spicy food but this was tasty, aromatic with lots of flavour and not an unbearable heat to it.  I would certainly eat this one again. – Chef’s tips to stir fresh chopped coriander and lime juice through the cooked rice just prior to serving.

No more Fish Friday now everyday can be a fish day!!