Box it up
Sure, a big shop is fun, roaming up and down the aisles of Morrisons chucking things you don’t need into your trolley and finding random reduced items that you vow to cook into a Michelin-Starred dinner for you and you beau… But what happens if you venture out of the supermarket and go directly to the source?
I tried two food boxes, one meat and one fish to see what life would be like if I let someone else choose my food for me…
Henderson to home catch of the day
I always promise myself I will eat more fish… It usually starts off on a Monday when I do my food shop for the week, but by Wednesday the shop-bought fish has most likely found its way into the freezer or I’ve cooked it into a curry to try to get some flavour to the bland flesh. So the idea of having fish that was caught in the morning delivered straight to your door the same day sounds like the perfect way of enjoying fresh fish.
Henderson to Home was started by Shaun Henderson in Lockdown when his usual business of delivering to restaurants came to an abrupt halt.
The concept is simple, you order online, pick your delivery day and a friendly guy will arrive at your door with a gorgeous box full of seafood so fresh, that some of it is still alive. Most of the fish is caught in Brixham, in the early morning, packaged up and delivered to your door that day. .
You can get a boneless box, for those that don’t want to deal with the bones of a fish, a shellfish box, which includes mussels, Lobster and a Crab, a Luxe Box, which is £50 for two people and includes a 250 g tub of crab meat, 1kg fresh mussels and a whole fish (turbot, brill, line caught sea bass or whatever was caught by the fisherman on the day), or make up your own box from the vast range of fish and shellfish that Henderson to Home offers
Shaun (and his wife Mimi) made me a box which included fresh clams, a whole turbot, smoked salmon, crab meat and two large line caught pollock fillets. I then got an added bonus of a live lobster, live crab and razor clams… a whole load of seafood that I’ve never cooked before, and a whole load of new things to explore.
The box arrived in the early afternoon and was delivered by the man himself, smiley, friendly and chatty, Shaun told me how he grew up surrounded by fishermen and the sea. His love of seafood didn’t stop when he moved to London, but instead he found a way to make his passion into a business. And it is a passion, Shaun is knowledgeable about all aspects of the fishing industry, and the types of seafood he provides. We spent a good while chatting on my doorstep about the best way to cook fresh crab, and how to sustainably catch fish.
I cycled the live crab and lobster round to my parent’s house and called my brother immediately, as he knows how to deal with live creatures from the sea. There was enough fish to feed an army, so we went about prepping, cooking and scraping meat out of the shells.
We started off with fresh crab in lettuce leaves, I wanted to taste the meat properly so I seasoned it only with a small squeeze of fresh lemon. The crab was succulent and full of flavour without being too watery, as some shop brought crab can be.
We nibbled on them while grilling the whole turbot on my Eva Solo Grill, which was the perfect size for the fish. I seasoned it with a little salt and pepper as again, I wanted to get the flavour of the fish. The firm bright white meat was juicy, and flaked off the bone beautifully, we paired it with a light salad, but I could have eaten the whole thing with just a glass of Assyrtiko.
The next day I woke up to the smell of coffee brewing, and was greeted with scrambled eggs piled with maldon cured smoked salmon courtesy of Lambton & Jackson and included in the box. Later I made fresh clam pasta for lunch, which tasted as good as any I’ve had in top London restaurants (even if I do say so myself!), the one box provided us with enough fresh seafood for days.
Henderson to Home delivers quality products so fresh that you will feel like you’re eating in a local cafe by the Greek harbour watching the fishermen catch your dinner. There’s no way I will be buying supermarket fish again.
From £30 for a box for two people, or build your own box minimum order £35; delivery is £5 https://www.hendersontohome.com
Turner and George BBQ Box
When a large box arrived from Turner and George on my doorstep early on a Friday morning, it could not have come at a better time. I had two BBQs planned that weekend, one for my parents to get to know my partner better, and one for my friend’s birthday. Both were for four people, so the original burger box (£60) for 8 people was perfect. It included 8 x Black Label burgers. 2 x 4pk brioche buns. 6 x Le Pig sausages. 6 x Spicy Pigs. 2 x pork loin ribs. 1kg bavette. 1 x South Carolina sauce. Whew!
On Friday afternoon I went round to my parents who have a bigger BBQ and a bigger garden, perfect for social distancing. As a meat loving family, I decided to take the burgers and sausages. My mother rustled up a potato salad, and a large garden salad. We needed nothing more. The sausages went on the grill first, made from 100% pork shoulder, ground coarsely and mixed with fresh garlic and herbs, put in a bun with nothing but a little tomato ketchup, and it was one of the best ‘hot dogs’ I’ve ever had.
Next came the burgers which were big slabs of gorgeous deep red meat. The black Label burgers are one of Turner & Georges best selling products and you can see why, the beef is ground together with bone marrow, making it juicy and beautifully meaty. They are not seasoned at all, as the meat just doesn’t need it, the quality speaks for itself.
Everything was simple, easy and tasty, we just threw things on the BBQ and chatted away while the meat sizzled.
The next day I hosted a USA-style feast for 3 of my best friends. For starters, I cooked up the ribs and smothered them with the South Carolina sauce from The Sauce Shop that came in the box. The ribs were juicy and absolutely delicious, and the tangy mustard BBQ sauce was the perfect accompaniment.
Then came the bavette steak, which I fried to medium rare. This cut of meat is big in flavour and easy to deal with, braise it, grill it or fry it, it’s beautiful any way. Accompanied by a creamy mac n cheese, some ice cold Budwisers and several months worth of gossip to catch up on, it felt like we could have been in a local BBQ joint in the deep South, rather than North London.
Whether you are hosting a large BBQ, or a couple of small gatherings, the Turner and George boxes cater generously, so no one will leave hungry.
The Original BBQ Box, £60 for a box for eight people, or build your own box minimum order £35; delivery is £5 https://www.turnerandgeorge.co.uk