Tag Archive for: Lobster

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Meet The Team – Wojciech Zdzisinski

We are proud to have fantastic staff here at Scottish Shellfish who have a real passion for our produce, the Scottish outdoors, and who embody our sustainable and environmentally friendly ethos – we think they are so great we want you to meet them too!

We would like to introduce you to Wojciech Zdzisinski who is our AV Hall Manager, to give you a glimpse into the work he does for Scottish Shellfish.

Wojciech Zdzisinski

What does your role at Scottish Shellfish involve?

I help with sourcing the best raw materials based on quality and I also oversee the different stages of production and I manage some of our staff.

What do you enjoy most about working at Scottish Shellfish?

I really enjoy the challenges of the day to day production work in our factory, I enjoy the pace of the role and I am lucky to work with some really great people.

What have been the main changes you have seen during your time at Scottish Shellfish?

During my time here we have introduced part-automatization of one of the lines in the Final Pack areas of production. We have also introduced bio-degradable cases for some of our current lines and in future all live mussel products will have bio-degradable packaging.

What was your 2019 highlight?

I got a job promotion which was great!

If you could achieve one thing in 2020 what would it be?

We all need to do our bit to help the planet so on a personal level I am aiming to reduce the amount of waste I produce at home and recycle more.

Do you have a favourite shellfish recipe you can?

Scallops wrapped in bacon - wrap bacon around scallops then secure in place with cocktail stick. Drizzle lemon over the scallops and oven bake at 180 degrees until bacon is crisp – delicious!

What is your favourite Scottish Shellfish product?

Any product from the Coquille range – all really tasty!

Do you have a favourite Scottish holiday destination or place?

St Andrews, Glencoe and also the Devil’s Pulpit which is a hidden gem not a lot of people have heard about. It is in Finnich Glen, Stirlingshire and it is a must see!

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Lobster thermidor with white wine sauce

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scot food fort 19

10 years celebrating Scottish Food & Drink

It’s the Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight from the Saturday 31stAugust until Sunday 15thSeptember 2019 and this year is special because they are celebrating 10 years of the fantastic fortnight that is dedicated to celebrating Scotland’s larder. 

The Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight is about the Scottish farmers/producers, makers and retailers celebrating all that is amazing about our nation’s outstanding food and drink products and the people behind them. The food and drink sector in Scotland is worth nearly £30b! 

Not just Whisky & Salmon 

Scotland is probably best known for its whisky and salmon but there is so much more to it than that, including some delicious and sustainable shellfish from our member farms situated in the pristine waters of the Scottish west coast and the Shetland isles. 

Our member farms fuel and satisfy the demand for shellfish here in the UK and abroad, we have blogs from our farmers that can be read here, and you can see where our farms are located on our map of Scotland by clicking here.

Produce 

Our mussels are grown on ropes suspended in the tidal currents and are deliciously plump and sweet tasting.  Our produce is with our retailers as quickly as possible allowing it to be as fresh as possible and our member farms produce a range of shellfish including oysters, crab, lobster, mussels, langoustines, scallops to name a few.  The following image is the journey of our mussels from the sea to your plate.  

sea to plate
Mussels - Sea to Plate

Get Involved

Get involved with #ScotFoodFort19 and tell us some of your favourite shellfish recipes, restaurants, farmers or what other Scottish products you like with your shellfish. Post on here, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let’s celebrate our wonderful Scottish larder. 

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Grilled Lobster

Grilled Lobster with Ginger, Garlic and Soy Sauce

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Roast Lobster Tails

Roast Lobster Tails

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seafood product of the year

2018 Seafood Product of the Year

On Wednesday the 23rd May 2018, we were absolutely delighted to have won the Aquaculture UK "Seafood Product of the Year" for our Moules Frites product for Morrison's.

Stiff Competition!

There was fairly stiff competition in the category including:

  • M&S Scottish Lochmuir Beetroot & Vodka Speybay Oak Smoked Salmon, Scottish Sea Farms
  • Native Hebridean Farmed Salmon, The Scottish Salmon Company
  • Moules Frites, Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group Ltd
  • Wester Ross Sashimi Grade Salmon, Wester Ross Fisheries Ltd

We were absolutely delighted to have won against this superb category.

The Product

We won with the Morrison’s "The Best Meal For Two Moules Frites" which was launched in stores earlier this year as a Valentine’s Day special, consisting of two packs of 450g Mussels in a Lobster Bisque Sauce and a single box of thin cut fries or ‘frites’- 300g.

aquaculture awards

Awards Dinner

The awards dinner was at the MacDonald Highland Resort, Aviemore and Moules Frites scooped the prize and was named Aquaculture Seafood Product of the Year for 2018.  Stephen Cameron, our Managing Director is photographed collecting the award in the head image.

Thank you

Thank you to all involved both internally in Scottish Shellfish and those who were involved in the awards evening and the judging panel.

 

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love food hate waste
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Love Food, Hate Waste

Eat well, save money!

If you’re anything like us, you probably love food and hate waste. There are some quite shocking statistics out there about how much food is wasted every year. Last year, waste and recycling advisory body Wrap published a report which indicated that (when it comes to food) each UK family wastes over £470 every year. That translates to 7.3m tonnes of food, most of which could have been salvaged! This is especially shocking when you consider it comes at a time when both the use of food banks, and the number of families living below the poverty line, are rising.

Luckily, our collective consciousness is now well and truly tuned into this sad state of affairs. The government, supermarkets and independent food vendors now offer us lots of tips and tricks to make sure that we get the most out of the food that we purchase.

Good health, good planning

When it comes to shellfish, this is easy. If you start with the proviso that for good health, vitamins and long chain-omega-3 fatty acids, you should be eating two portions of fish a week, that’s a great basis for menu planning. And additionally, shellfish is low in fat and an excellent source of selenium, zinc, iodine and copper.

So far, so healthy. And there’s more good news. Today, seafood is very accessible. Because of its provenance, shellfish is often frozen. And frozen shellfish is available from all supermarkets,  large and small. Fresh or frozen, it’s quite easy to gauge portion size for yourself and your family. And although we’re eating more and more seafood in general and shellfish in particular, these days seafood is still regarded as something of a treat, which generally means clean plates at the end of every meal.

Even if you do have leftovers, some menu planning means that your wastage will be nil. With a little care, your leftover shellfish will be as tasty and full of flavour for future use as possible.

  1. Rule number one with shellfish is to ensure that all leftovers are quickly refrigerated.
  2. Rule number two, don’t freeze them. Ice crystals will strip your cooked shellfish of its remaining flavour.
  3. Rule number three, take any leftover shellfish out of the shell before you pop it in the fridge; if you leave the shell on, the flavour can become too strong and spoil the delicate taste you expect.

So far, so delicious

So how do you use your shellfish leftovers? First off, eat them within two days of refrigerating. How you do that can be as simple or as complex as you want. Is there anything more delicious that a chilled cooked langoustine, straight from the fridge, dipped in hollandaise sauce? Or you can make soups, omelettes or salads with leftover mussels, prawns or crab. Mix your shellfish leftovers with mayonnaise for a delicious sandwich filling. Or try them with a cream sauce for an elegant starter. If you pop your leftover shellfish in at the absolute last minute, there’s no chance you’ll over cook them or spoil the texture. Less is more when it comes to shellfish.

Scottish shellfish recipes

We’ve got lots of great recipes you can try with your leftover shellfish. Have a look here for yourself. We’ve also handpicked a few for you too:

Your fishmonger or local market stall should be able to give you more ideas on how to cook your shellfish including your leftovers. And if you are especially creative and come up with your own recipes, please feel free to share them with us and spread the shellfish love!

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mother's day

Mother’s Day Menu

Mother's Day is this Sunday (11th March 2018)! We hope you have got your card and flowers sorted to thank your Mum for all she has done for you.  Why not offer to cook her dinner?  We have pulled together 2 menu's that you could cook the special lady who raised you.

Menu 1

Starter - Tipsy Prosecco Mussels

Main - Lobster Risotto

Dessert - Mixed Fruit Tart

Menu 2

Starter - Langoustines with a Roast Garlic & Lemon Butter

Main - Gin & Tonic Mussels

Dessert - Lemon Sorbet

Gifts

Have you got her a gift yet? You know that Mum's always love homemade gifts right? Why not give one of these a go? Make your Mum smile knowing you have spent some time and effort on her gift.

Oyster Shell Candle

Mussel Shell Wreath

Share with Us

We would love to see the pictures of your Scottish shellfish inspired Sunday lunch for your Mum and any of the above gifts you have made from shellfish shells, there might even be a gift in it for you.

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Oysters are a well-known aphrodisiac
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Oysters the well-known aphrodisiac!

Casanova’s breakfast choice

Valentine’s Day is upon us!  Now is the time to plan a special meal that will tantalise your loved one. Oysters the well-known aphrodisiac, purportedly increasing the libido of all who eat them. In fact, Casanova is said to have started his day with 50 of these delicious bivalves! But did you know that plenty of other shellfish have the same sexy quality?

Shellfish the natural aphrodisiac!

A true aphrodisiac, increases sexual potency in men and desire in women.  With some cultures claiming that they also contribute to improved fertility. While all claims to unparalleled desire must be taken with a small pinch of salt, there is indeed truth to the idea that oysters and other shellfish are good for a boost.

Power of Zinc

Help comes in the form of zinc, in which oysters, mussels, and other molluscs are particularly high. Low levels of zinc can contribute to diminished libido, as can low levels of testosterone. Zinc triggers the release of testosterone in each sex, which will give both men and women that burst of energy they are looking for on February 14th!

Spoil your other half

Even without the chemical evidence, there’s something to be said for preparing a tasty meal and surprising your partner. Delicate flavours from the best sources in the world, can’t fail to earn you brownie points.  Cooking a treat of a meal for your lover is better than serving up all the outlandish aphrodisiacs in the world.

Valentine recipes

Half a dozen oysters, freshly shucked and served with a squeeze of lemon, or a dash of Tabasco if you like it hot; lobster with lashings of butter; a bottle of crisp white wine, all taken by candlelight and soft music playing in the background. Now that sounds like the ideal way to show your other half just how much they mean to you, and any nutritional benefits are just a happy plus-point.

Oysters are a well-known aphrodisiac

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health benefits of shellfish
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Are all shellfish good for you?

Last month we told you all about the health benefits of mussels but what are the health benefits of all shellfish?

  • Extra energy
  • Glowing skin
  • Healthy heart

To name a few, it’s hard to beat shellfish.

Shellfish are full of nutrients, minerals, and those excellent omega-3s. They are quick, easy and (above all) a delicious way to improve your diet. It's recommended you have 2 portions of fish a week.

Scottish Shellfish – On your doorstep!

Luckily, in Scotland we have a wide array of choice, and you can be sure that whatever you choose the journey from sea to plate is as quick as can be. All you should do is look forward to including fresh, delicate shellfish in your new favourite recipes.

Mussels, oysters, crab and lobster are extremely low in fat and high in protein which is good news for anybody hoping to lose weight without forgoing flavour.  A portion of shellfish will leave you feeling full and satisfied, all without sacrificing the calories.

What can I eat with shellfish?

The options are endless, but the classics are always a winner:

  • Mussels in white wine
  • Lobster with a little lemon
  • Crab and avocado salad
  • Oysters with a touch of tabasco

What could be more mouth-watering, while still being so very good for you?

Additional Benefits  

If the above isn’t reason enough to tuck into some tasty Scottish shellfish, they also contain zinc, copper, magnesium and iron, all necessary minerals that will improve health overall.  Iron deficiencies can leave you feeling tired and weak, so making sure to take in enough is a great way to boost energy levels, naturally.

Shellfish for dinner?

With such versatile, tempting produce available on our doorstep, fresh and sweet and ready for your recipes, it is almost a crime to ignore Scottish shellfish! With all the above benefits it’s surely time to add more mussels, oysters, crab and lobster to your diet?

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