If anything good came from the recent pandemic, it was the trend of top-tier restaurants and boutique food producers delivering high-end food directly to your doorstep. Award-winning seafood brand Rockfish based in Brixham are one of the latest to offer such a service, making it possible for everyone to sample their impressive range of premium products.
Founder Mitch Tonks opened his first fishmongers back in 1996 and has gone on to build a mini empire consisting of nine restaurants in coastal cities. His Seafood at Home service kicked off a few months ago and is already fast approaching cult status.
After sampling a box of their latest produce, it’s not hard to see why. The service is fast, the fish impeccably packaged and most importantly, delicious. Rockfish are also an environmentally sound outfit, and put sustainability and zero waste at the top of their priority list.
The 6 day boat scallops were wonderfully plump, sweet and succulent. Flash fried with some chorizo and smothered with Rockfish garlic butter, they make for the perfect starter.
The red mullet fillets are meaty with a punchier almost shellfish like flavour, making them versatile when it comes to pairing them with more complex flavours and ingredients. We went with a simple Greek salad and a healthy dollop of Rockfish Anchoïade. Simple but tasty.
The Ray t-bone was more delicately flavoured, with flaky flesh and a hint of sweetness. We enjoyed this with a side of chunky chips and onion rings doused in sea salt and vinegar with some tartar sauce for good measure. Highly recommended.
One of the highlights of our box was the Alfred Enderby smoked haddock loin, which is naturally smoked overnight in their traditional brick smokehouse in Grimsby. With a heritage spanning 100 years, the quality shines through in this expertly prepared cut.
We followed the smoked haddock, potato, leek and egg salad recipe from the Rockfish website to the letter, and whilst not as beautifully presented, the flavours hit all the right notes.
A testament to the quality of Rockfish as a brand was their ability to elevate the humble tinned tuna to greatness. Their Cantabrian Tuna is sourced responsibly from the MSC controlled waters of Northern Spain, which has a short season of just 3-weeks to help preserve the ocean wildlife.
The difference is evident from the first bite, making this boldly flavoured tuna a cut above anything you’d find in your local supermarket. We created a Tuna Melt Nacho dish, adding extra mature Cheddar, guacamole and spring onions into the mix.
Final verdict
Rockfish are a force to be reckoned with in the now highly competitive fine dining at home category, and won us over with their consistently high quality produce. Our favourites were the red mullet and smoked haddock, but there really wasn’t a dud in the box.
Whether you’re looking to impress dinner guests, or just want to treat yourself to some restaurant quality seafood, Rockfish do not disappoint.
Check out the latest premium seafood and produce from Rockfish Seafood at Home online
