Sardeenz!

Espinaler Variegated Scallops in Galician Sauce

Hard to believe, but a first foray into tinned scallops. I've been sitting on this can of Espinaler Variegated Scallops in Galician Sauce for quite some time, not really knowing why I was waiting for an excuse to open it. Let's see what we've got here.

Initial impression upon opening the can: Uncertain.

There seem to be some shellfish hiding in a cloudy murk. They're variegated scallops, but some packaging calls them zamburiñas. The aroma is subtle, not really of seafood, but rather of cooked tomato with an overtone of wine. And along with oil, salt and spices, that's exactly what they're bathed in.

I fished around and pulled a few up out of the liquid to see what I had here. Looks like there are nine of them in total.

They didn't look at all like what I'm used to seeing in the way of scallops. Apparently, those pristine white pucks of scallop adductor muscle are what's left after they've been vigorously cleaned to remove any unsightly parts. The filet, if you will.

These have most of their mantle intact, or at least still attached, and as a result are a bit more rustic in appearance. Savoring the first one, I found the texture somewhere between smoked oyster and mussel. They are flavored by the sauce just enough to complement the taste of the meat. The sodium listed is a little on the high side at 543mg, but I didn't find them too salty.

Hitting The Sauce

As I plucked each from the can, I found it difficult to get any of the sauce to stick. It seemed like a layer of the oil (sunflower) was floating over the top of a nebulous, shifting mass of red. The scallops still tasted of the sauce, but I was wishing I could get more of it on them.

After finishing the scallops, I continued to examine the liquid in the can. Attempting to get a sip of the sauce, I was only getting the oil floating atop it. Stirring it, the oil and cloud of red beneath wouldn't mix. It looked for all the world like a broken emulsion.

Eureka! I used my chopsticks to whisk the oil and sauce below it into a cohesive combo, right there in the can. Then, I could easily take a taste of it in its full flavor. In fact-- and I recommend this-- for the next can, I will remove and set the the scallops aside while I do exactly this. And then I'll return them to the can for a thorough coating before consuming.

Main Takeaways

Rustic in appearance, but tasty
The sauce works well and has good balance
Another of those hard to open cans

Unfortunately, these have increased in price since I bought them about six months ago. Now they're $8, up from $6.50. Although another place I don't order from wants $11, so I guess you can just blame inflation.

Brand: Espinaler
Description: Variegated scallops in Galician sauce
Species: Aequipecten opercularis
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO?
Skin/Bones: no/No
Net Wt: 4 oz.
Price Range: $8

Tonnino Ventresca Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

I bought this Tonnino Ventresca Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil on a whim. I know Tonnino sells quality tuna, it's mostly all they do. It was on sale for under $9. As ventresca goes, that's very inexpensive. Some brands are easily twice that. But that's because its the best part of the best tuna. A similar offering from La Narval was pretty good. Let's see how this one stacks up.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Mostly nice looking slices of tuna belly. I really didn't mind that bit of grey at the bottom, it's just where skin met flesh. The aroma is very subtle, with only the slightest smell of the fish.

A sip of the oil is neutral, with a hint of salt. A taste of just the fish is very mild, melt-in-your-mouth level tuna. I think the fact that ventresca filets (slices?) are cut with the grain of the meat as opposed to across it gives it a different mouth feel from regular tuna. I knew if I kept picking at it, I'd eat it all straight from the can.

Let's Check It Out

The slices stuck together as I lifted them all from the can in mostly one scoop. I started with just the tuna and plain rice. I noted how the salt level was just right. It was noticeable, but very subtle, letting the tuna flavor be the star. If any lower, I thought, it would be salt-free.

Imagine my surprise when I read 600mg. sodium on the carton. It has to be a typo. I looked online, and other packages only list 270mg. for the 4 oz. can. Oddly, the 6.7 oz. jars also say 600mg. Not really sure what's going on there.

After enjoying about half the can plain, I decided to try a little furikake. Chili crisp would have obliterated any taste of the tuna. It just needed something delicate, and not too salty.

Overall, I thought it worked out well. Good tuna plain, with rice, and with a little mild umami embellishment.

I see the price on Amazon has bounced back up a dollar to right around $10. Still worth it, I think. I'll continue to watch it for a random price drop, practically inevitable on Amazon. (In fact, as I'm writing this, it dropped again.)

Main Takeaways

Inexpensive for ventresca
Great mild flavor yellowfin is known for
Great melt-in-your-mouth texture for which ventresca is known

Brand: Tonnino
Description: Yellowfin Tuna Ventresca in Olive Oil
Species: Thunnus albacares
Country of Origin: Costa Rica
Source: FAO?
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4 oz.
Price Range: $10

Sultan Moroccan Sardines with Tomato Sauce & Hot Peppers

DeenLeave a comment

These Sultan Moroccan Sardines with Tomato Sauce & Hot Peppers sounded appetizing. I'd had mixed results with similar ones before. This brand came to my attention as a "recommended" product on Amazon. I assume the algorithm has noticed by now that I search for tinned fish on there frequently. They were on sale for $5, so I gave them a shot.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

I was slightly concerned they might be old stock, but the can indicates they were packed in the last six months, and with an expiration date of 2029.

Some sizeable fish, packed in there tightly. Looks like three, but this is one of those deep cans, so there's more than meets the eye. No apparent scales, and the skin is reasonably intact.

No aroma to speak of, neither fish nor sauce. A sip of the sauce is brightly tomato-y, but no heat at all. The ingredients don't list anything seasoning the sauce other than the alleged chili pepper.

Let's Dig In

I was able to extract them all fairly intact. There were six in total, a generous portion. I poured the rest of the sauce from the can over everything. There was no physical pepper in the bottom.

Trying just a bite of fish with a glop of the tomato sauce, but still getting no heat. I found the meat tender and with a good sardine flavor. The salt level is good, an average 310mg. I've had good experiences with Moroccan sardines before, and this one added another one.

Half a can in, I still couldn't help thinking the tomato sauce was far more bland than promised. A few dashes of Valentina did the trick. It had just enough heat to kick up the tomato sauce with a subtle amount of heat, while at the same time not masking the flavor of the fish.

Main Takeaways

Nice meaty, tender fish
Generous portion
Bland sauce, but nothing a little hot sauce couldn't fix

Brand: Sultan
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce & hot pepper
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $5

Olasagasti Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

I got this Olasagasti Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil from Amazon, although it can be had directly from International Loft for the same price. A little spendy at $10 a can, but since tuna is the brand's main focus, I hoped it would be worth it. Let's see if it was.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Another of those stiff cans that's hard to open without a splat of oil. Very nice looking tuna, though. There's a nice, mild aroma. But it doesn't translate to the oil, which is quite neutral in taste and completely transparent. The olive oil isn't listed as anything special, but one has to assume it's Spanish.

It's mostly a solid chunk of tuna, with very little in the way of loose bits. A nibble or two reveals it has a tender texture and a mild flavor, with only a hint of tuna "tang". Sodium is listed at 470 mg, but it doesn't taste that salty. Regardless, the level is enough to be complementary to the tuna, but subtle enough to not be distracting.

Let's See What We've Got

The can was packed really tightly. Extracting the meat whole from the can was difficult, so it was necessary to pry it out in chunks. Everything was solid, though, no loose bits hiding underneath.

I poured the oil over everything and proceeded to dig in. The meat flaked nicely, and I continued to note how mild and tender it was throughout.

But, not being one to leave well enough alone, I had to make an excuse to try a new chili crisp I had just received.

This one, by Fusion Select, was actually quite a nice enhancement. It wasn't so hot as to overpower the delicate taste of the tuna. It's not as salty as some others, with a relatively modest 280mg. per 2 tablespoon serving. I didn't use that much, and found its added sweetness balanced out the heat and salt, making the entire combination quite delicious.

Main Takeaways

Mild, flavorful tuna
Solid yellowfin
Salt level just right
A little pricey, but premium quality all around

I found it a little odd that the can notes catch area FAO 51, which is Western Indian Ocean. Closer examination of the carton reveals it is only processed in Spain. No matter, still really good tuna.

Brand: Olasagasti
Description: Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil
Species: Thunnus albacares
Country of Origin: Spain (processed)
Source: FAO51, Western Indian Ocean
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.95 oz.
Price Range: $10

Ati Manel Garfish in Spiced Olive Oil

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This Ati Manel Garfish in Spiced Olive Oil was also from an order from Caputo's about three months ago. I'd seen it reviewed, largely knew what to expect, so it wasn't like I was putting off opening the can. But, when I finally did so, it was with a modicum of apprehension, the horse mackerel experience being still fresh in my mind.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Very interesting appearance. Slender, tubular fish. Shiny skin with no apparent scales. The oil is tinged red, I assume from the pepper. The aroma is of a fresh fish, but not like that of sardines or tuna, or even mackerel. Different, but not bad.

A sip of the oil is only mildly seasoned. Other than the fish, olive oil and salt, the only other listed ingredient is "chilli". But it's not hot at all. Nothing hitting the back of the throat.

The fish are firm, and pull from the can completely intact. A sample taste is both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. The meat is tender, not dry at all. It's sort of like sardines meets mackerel.

Let's Proceed

I put them out over rice, and found something vegetal underneath. Initially, it looked like a sliver of carrot, but I knew it shouldn't be. Apparently, the pepper was laid open, ostensibly to release its flavor.

It wasn't hot, though, having more of a pickled taste. If anything, the predominant seasoning was the salt, and, at 400 mg, I thought its level was just right.

Cautiously, I poured only about half the oil left in the can over it all.

Pierced with a fork, the fish reluctantly separated into bite-size pieces. As I went, I still wasn't getting any heat, but the mild seasoning was pleasant enough. I dumped the remaining oil over the rest.

Overall, I'm glad I tried this. I don't know if it made me want to run out and buy more garfish, but the experience was worthwhile.

Main Takeways

Fresh fish flavor with a meaty texture
Not really all that spicy

Brand: 100 Misterios / Ati Manel
Description: Garfish in Spiced Olive Oil
Species: Belone belone
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $8

Wildfish Cannery Smoked Coho Salmon

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I've been sitting on this can of Wildfish Cannery Smoked Coho Salmon for almost three months now. I like to mix things up, and it seemed like time to revisit salmon. It came with my second order from Caputo's, who stocks a nice selection of Wildfish Cannery at good prices. Let's try it.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

C'mon, now. There's room for a little more salmon in there. It's a typical premium smoked salmon packing style. Filets are cut cross-wise into 1" wide strips, smoked, and then coiled up in a small round can.

The aroma is quite smoky, courtesy of natural alderwood smoke. A sip of the can liquid is similarly smoky. There's also a sweet molasses smell to it.

Seasonings include brown sugar, garlic, black pepper and salt. Quite a bit of salt. It's listed as 220 mg. per serving, and the can is two servings. I'd say it tastes like quite a bit more than 440 mg. A very salt-forward profile seems to be common with smoked salmon. And hey, get your own can.

Bland rice has a way of tempering the saltiness, so I was in luck. I poured everything including the can juices out over it.

The texture is firm, but the meat flakes without much effort. The skin, which usually adds a fatty element to the mouth feel wasn't doing all that much here.

Briefly, I had thoughts of what I might embellish this with, but decided to leave well enough alone. I found myself thinking maybe this is too smoky or too salty, but neither stopped me finishing the whole thing

If I were to add something, it would have to bring a sweeter element to help offset the overt smoke and salt. Maybe Fly By Jing Sweet + Spicy.

Main Takeaways

Good natural alderwood smoke
Tastes saltier than advertised
Good price point for premium smoked salmon

Brand: Wildfish Cannery
Description: Smoked Coho Salmon
Species: Alaskan Coho salmon
Country of Origin: USA
Source: FAO67, Northeast Pacific
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 3.5 oz.
Price Range: $9

Starkist Yellowfin Tuna with Roasted Garlic in EVOO

DeenLeave a comment

Yep, you read that right, Starkist. This upgraded tuna packed in EVOO from them has been around a few years. But it only recently came up on my radar. Actually, the fact that the can reads Solid Yellowfin Tuna with Roasted Garlic in EVOO is what got my attention. I wanted to try the plain version, but it was only available in a 4-pack. That would still have been under $8. Instead, I went with this roasted garlic version, just $2.14 per can at Walmart. There was also a lemon dill flavor, but my interest was more in the tuna itself. Let's see if I'll be going back for more.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Not bad looking tuna. Some intact muscle peeking through there. No overt aroma of tuna or garlic to speak of. A sip of the oil is neutral, and still doesn't reveal anything of the seasoning. Another thing I noticed is there's not much oil. The net weight is 4.5 oz. The listed dry weight is only slightly less at 4 oz. That's noteworthy.

I poked around a bit before de-canning. That in the upper part of the photo, what looks like tuna debris, is actually confined to just the top. Underneath a very thin layer of it is rock-solid tuna.

I used the debris as an initial tasting sample. It has a soft, moist texture. The tuna flavor is mild, but I'm not really getting much in the way of garlic. It says roasted, so the expectation would be of something more mellow than fresh garlic. Instead, my impression is, if anything, of lemon. Unless that's included in "natural flavors", I can't say why I perceive that. Perhaps it's what happens when "dehydrated garlic, roasted garlic" meets a nice, mild tuna with only a hint of that inherent tuna "tang". Regardless, I liked it.

Let's See What We've Got Here

I just realized there's a setting on my camera that lets tuna, when dumped out over rice, look more like it does in reality.

You can see the solid chunks, which are as thick as the can is deep. Whatever garlic is in there isn't perceptible to the naked eye.

I worked my way through half of it as-is, until I was satisfied with my opinion, which was a definite positive.

If you've been following along for any amount of time, you know what I did next.

Yes, and this time it's Momoya Chili Oil with Fried Garlic (Taberu Layu ). It supplies the requisite amount of crunchy garlic, but with a hint of sweetness and a decidedly peanut-y character. The label is entirely in Japanese, but from what I can gather, it does not contain peanuts. Of the dozen or so jars of chili crisp I have, it's a favorite. It's not too salty, so it really complemented the flavor of this tuna.

One thing I noticed that has me puzzled. There's no country of origin listed on the label. Starkist produces flavored tuna in pouches that state it next to the best by date. Also absent is the expected California Prop 65 warning.

Attractively priced in quantity at Amazon.

Main Takeaways

Quality, mild tuna flavor and solid chunks of it
Not sure what to say about the garlic, or the lack of it
Priced right, high QPR

Brand: Starkist
Description: Solid Yellowfin Tuna with Roasted Garlic in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Species: Thunnus albacares
Country of Origin: NS
Source: FAO NS
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.5 oz.
Price Range: $2