Peruvian Harvest Fresh Catch – Part One
Two-Parter Mackerel Fest
Originally Published: Sunday, March 10, 2024
Specs
Unfortunately, one of the boxes got slightly squished during transit.Corrections: I have been informed since the original review was posted that the shelf price for these products are actually closer to $10 CAD, and not $18 as in the original post. I think this friendlier price makes this line of products much easier to recommend. I’ve adjusted the rating on one product to reflect the new pricing.
Andean Treasures
Part 1 of 2 Sponsored Reviews
Today’s review features a relatively new brand to the Canadian market from Peruvian Harvest and their Fresh Catch line of seafood tapas products.
A representative from Peruvian Harvest reached out to me a few weeks ago asking me if I would be interested in sampling and reviewing their products, to which I enthusiastically replied yes. A short while later, I received four different tins of canned mackerel products, which I have decided to review in two parts. This will be my very first sponsored review. These cans will also be my first Peruvian products. Lots of firsts, and lots of fish.
Disclaimers: I am not being paid for these reviews. I received these cans free of charge from the brand rep. I have not received any additional perks or incentives to review these products. I will remain impartial during these reviews.
The Peruvian Harvest brand, as the name suggests, is based in Peru and specializes in manufacturing and distribution of Peruvian food products, with a heavy lean on fair trade and sustainability; all good things. The products have been around for a few years, but weren’t available in my neck of the woods until very recently.
Their shelf price is about $18 CAD ($14 USD) for the 170 gram can and features some unique flavours and ingredients. It’s clear that they’re targeting a more premium market than the average mackerel.
Today’s selections are the Mackerel Medallions in Peruvian Peppers & Onion Marinade and Mackerel Fillets with Sprouted White Quinoa Grain.
Cover to Cover
A premium price tag is often accompanied by premium packaging, and these products follow that trend. The protective sleeve is printed in bright colours on nice cardstock, with a necklace of colourful icons adorning the top, some denoting ingredients and others denoting various certifications. Unfortunately, one of the boxes was slightly damaged during shipping enroute to me.
The typical nutritional information as well as short blurbs about the company and products line the sides and back of the carton. The cans look much the same as the sleeves, with the same colour scheme and imagery. Overall, these products stand out, but are perhaps a bit busy on the visuals.
The box also promised that the tins are easy open, which they were. The lids peeled off the cans completely without much resistance or spillage. The tin with marinade looked more or less like what I expected, but it was unintentionally comedic to see the mackerel completely covered by a bed of sprouted quinoa in the second can.
Red and white: colours of the Peruvian flag, coincidentally.Red Marinade
I sampled the pepper and onion marinated mackerel first, dumping the contents of the can onto a plate for inspection. The sauce had a naturally sweet smell from the peppers that mingled nicely with the oceanic scent of mackerel; smelled like a warm sea breeze. The orange-red hue of the sauce looked appetizing and brought a glow-y sheen to the surface of the thick-cut fish medallions.
The medallions retained their shape very well, with no breakage or separation from tumbling out of the can. The flesh felt firm and dense to the fork and gave away with a bit of effort.
Shiny.I tasted the fish on its own with very little sauce at first, just to get a baseline. It was salty and contained a lot of umami, probably from a combination of natural glutamates in the fish and the marinade. The texture was a bit on the dry side, but not stringy. It was a bit tougher than I usually like my mackerel. I wonder if the fish was perhaps pre-cooked before canning, thus losing some of the fat content in the process?
Tasting the sauce on its own revealed a bit more of the combination. It’s a sweet, juicy pepper sauce with a good amount of saltiness and umami. It contained some olive oil which gave it some vegetal notes and added a bit of depth, playing nicely with the infused herbs. Even though the sauce was a pepper sauce there was no heat, but there was a bit of acidity probably from vinegar. The sauce is lightly thickened, giving it a smooth texture and density that allowed it to cling to the surface of the fish.
A salty, savoury bite of bliss.There was plenty of marinade in the can, so I made sure to drench my next bite of fish in the savoury sauce and the difference was immediate. The sauce added much of the needed moisture back into the fish, while the fish added a lot of the oceanic flavours to complement the zing of the tangy, sweet sauce. Leaving the skin on was a great idea for the fish as it added another dimension to the overall experience, providing some contrasting textures to both the flesh and the marinade, acting as an intermediary between solid and liquid.
Overall, a very yummy product that was a bit of a flavour bomb, but perhaps teetering on the edge of too salty. I think some bread and a crispy glass of white will round out the entire experience perfectly.
White Quinoa
After the initial surprise of seeing nothing but a layer of quinoa subsided, I collected my wits and tried to pour the contents of the tin out onto a plate. It took a bit of prodding with a fork to get the goods out as the quinoa layer had created a good vaccuum seal. Thankfully the can was not solely inhabited by quinoa.
Before I get much further, I must add that I am not, and have never been a huge fan of quinoa in any of its forms. I’ve had good meals with quinoa in it, sure, but sometimes they feel like it was despite the quinoa and not because of it. With that said, the quinoa product in question is not half bad.
Looks a bit like risotto.There was a noticeable earthy smell to the quinoa layer reminiscent of petrichor. The mackerel did contribute to the overall nose, but it was comparatively subtle. I suspected at this point that a lot of the fishy flavours were locked away in the grains.
I started by tasting the fish on its own. The fish fillets were more like fish fingers: thin and meaty strips of mackerel. The fish was less salty compared to its marinated cousin and overall less briny. Some of the earthiness from the grains penetrated the fillets and gave them an almost nutty flavour. The structure of the fillets was solid and firm, but also a bit dry like the medallions.
Next, I tried a forkful of the accompanying quinoa. The texture of the quinoa was a bit softer than non-canned versions of the grain, but that was to be expected. The texture reminded me a bit of polenta. The neutral earthy flavours of the grain lent itself nicely to absorb all the natural flavours from the fish.
A good forkful, but could do with a bit more flair.Trying the fish together with the quinoa did round out the experience. The quinoa had a softer texture and almost acted like a sauce to reincorporate some moisture back into the fillets, while the fillets provided the saltiness and fishiness to season the neutral quinoa grain. The olive oil content also added some fattiness and a bit of floral herbaciousness. Overall, the saltiness was more subdued in this can versus the previous, but it was not under-salted.
It feels like this product is intended to be the base for a more complete meal and would benefit a lot from additional seasoning or preparations. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable on its own, but it could be elevated by a little bit of work post popping the can.
Verdict
Two very strong showings with quality ingredients from an underrepresented corner of the world. They’re on the pricier side of the scale so I expect a lot more when it comes to uniqueness in flavours and care to preparation.
I do like the products and the unusual ingredient pairings, and these are clearly made with a lot of care, but they’re maybe just a bit on the too pricey side for my regular rotation. I do encourage people to try these products if they find them in store; they’re excellent as a sometimes treat.
I am looking forward to part two, when I reveal and review the other two products. For now, these two products get an enthusiastic Yum, but no value stars.
Definitely give these a chance if you find them at your local store.Mackerel Medallions in Peruvian Peppers & Onion Marinade
Note: In the original posted review I gave the Peruvian Peppers & Onion Marinade flavour a 0-star value rating due to the high price tag. On further review with the updated pricing, I amend my score to 1-star to reflect the quality and uniqueness in flavour of the product.
Mackerel Fillets with Sprouted White Quinoa Grain