Aeon "World Dining" series

We tried "Mussels and Shrimp Ahi Jio", one of Aeon's "World Dining" series of frozen and retort-packed foods from around the world. The taste of tapas served at a Spanish-style "bar" can be easily enjoyed at home.

Mussels and Shrimp Ahijo

Mussels and Shrimp Ahi Gio" is priced at 398 yen (excluding tax, same as below). The calorie content of the ingredients is 128 kcal, but the olive oil is added to the calories. If you want to enjoy the oil that has soaked up even more flavor, you will also want some bread. This time, we prepared a frozen 2-pack of amani bread. The price is 280 yen.



Once the bread is in the toaster oven, start making the ajillo. First, open the package and take out the bagged spices and empty them into a deep dish, then pour 50 ml of olive oil prepared separately into it and mix well. Add the ingredients and mix further, then place the mixture in the microwave oven and cook on "high" for 5 minutes.






When ready, it is served at the table with bread. The vegetables and seafood are well cooked, yet brightly colored. The garlic and olive oil smells appetizing. It is hard to believe that the dish was just cooked in a microwave oven.


I tear off a piece of bread, dip it in the oil, and taste it. The hot, salty oil absorbed by the fluffy dough burns the tongue. At the same time, you can smell the aroma of herbs such as oregano and parsley. The oil alone seems to be enough to make the dish.




Then try the shrimp. They are exquisitely done, with a plump texture, not too firm and chewy. The mussels are soft and the umami spreads in your mouth. The mussels are small but numerous, so you can eat as many as you like with a spoon.


The broccoli was soft enough to be chewed immediately while retaining a crunchy texture, almost the same as boiled raw broccoli. The mushrooms are highly aromatic and blend best with the spiced olive oil.

Those who like their bread dipped in oil may find the saltiness a little too much. The vegetables and seafood are enough to bring out the umami, so it is recommended to reduce the amount of spices mixed in the oil a little beforehand.