Rockfish Seafood at Home

Last Updated on January 3, 2022

The fish market experience at the click of a button

Mitch Tonks’ Rockfish takeaway chain has provided top-quality seafood in the Southwest of England now for 12 years and they are now expanding into online seafood delivery. The offer recreates the 6 am open times of seaside fish markets and allows those of us further from the coast to access fresh fish quickly, the deliveries are dispatched by midday. With a range of tinned and jarred products as well as loads of easy to follow recipes online, Rockfish Seafood at Home looks like a great addition to the expanding domestic seafood delivery market.

We received a great range of fresh local seafood brought in at Brixham in Devon as well as tinned seafood and jarred butters and sauces. With all the ingredients so fresh it was a race to cook everything while it was still at top quality. The merit of the fish meant that we did not get bored of the meals, nor did we have to mask the flavour with complex recipes when the simplest ones showed off the fresh flavour that comes with recently caught fish.

We started with scallops, lightly pan-roasted in a little olive oil and butter. An overcooked scallop can become rubbery so it is best to take them off the heat slightly before your natural instinct as the residual heat will continue to cook the meat. These scallops had the fresh sweetness that is a hallmark of recently caught seafood. Really nothing is required to supplement their flavour especially once that crisp, golden-brown crust has developed.

Next were 2 brill T- bones left on the bone for flavour. Essentially a cross-section of the turbot relative, this was a meaty fish that was also pan-roasted and finished off under the grill. Smeared with the bearnaise butter also available at Rockfish, the brill was a creamy and indulgent main fish and a perfect centrepiece for an impressive dinner party. The flesh fell off the central bone easily but still held its structure per fillet for serving. The bearnaise butter, mixed with tarragon and pepper was so morish we’ve been spreading in on sourdough throughout the festive period, along with the lime pickle butter and the Romesco sauce, they really brought the fresh produce to the next level, as well as a few sandwiches after.

The next day, we approached the pollock fillets, using a recipe from Rockfish, the Pollock with runner beans and chervil. This was a perfect warming recipe for a winter’s afternoon and the earthiness of the leeks perfectly supported the fresh clean flavour of the pollock. As with all recipes, especially with fish, the best test for temperature and done-ness is your eye and fish slice rather than a recipe, especially one that may have been tested and developed in a professional kitchen.

That evening was another indulgence, Dover sole with lemon and caper dressing. We left this fish nearly till last as sole can sometimes benefit from a little time to tenderise after catching. It is always tempting to repeat the old favourites with sole meunière being a regular favourite. Trying out a new recipe, with basil, a combination I’d never had before, was quite the excitement and proved to be a welcome change. This Sole was caught in the English Channel on the boat the Angel of Ladram, all information on the packaging and the sort of supply chain clarity that is lacking in this age of shipping containers. Dover sole is a favourite of mine and this fish is certainly of top quality in that regard.

The final fish was a lovely smoked haddock loin. Not dyed a sickly yellow like some and the best addition for a kedgeree. The addition of a kedgeree butter in the package was the perfect excuse to boil some eggs and get going. With a little modern twist, a smoked haddock kedgeree can be anything but a dry and bland breakfast food, some charred onions a little lime pickle and a chilli kick make this dish a dynamic and contemporary fusion experience. The fish was substantial and cooked well en papillote, being easy to flake and mix through the rice.

Rockfish is offering an exciting and important product that puts the fish market into the hands of consumers across the country. With Britain unable to export as much seafood due to Brexit red tape, the opportunity to take advantage of living on an island surrounded by some of the best fish in the world has never been easier.

Rockfish Seafood at Home launches on January 5th at 6 am

Looking for something different?  Check our Date Night Delivery Meal Kits and Recipe Boxes for a selection of make at home dishes