You just never know where celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli is going to pop up next, and you can now find him grinning from the depths of supermarket freezer cabinets across the country.
The TV chef has put his name to a new range of frozen meals made by Findus that aim to be of "restaurant quality". According to Geir Frantzen, owner of Findus UK, Novelli's input was more hands-on than his recent, if short-lived involvement with a Dublin restaurant: "He has spent many days and nights in Newcastle at our factory, ensuring every single product meets his high expectations at every stage of development."
So are they any good then? The lemon and honey roast chicken on spring onion mash came in for criticism for having too much mash and not enough chicken, and the "lasagne Novelli with a creamy camembert béchamel sauce" didn't eat as well as it read.
But some products in the range are markedly better than most other frozen ready-meals. Haddock mornay on a bed of spinach came with a really good, strong cheese sauce, and the Mediterranean rigatoni with a blue cheese glaze was judged to be outstanding.
There are two desserts in the range: apple and raisin crepe crumble, and white and dark chocolate crepe.
Prices range from €4.49 to €4.99 and stockists include Tesco, Superquinn, and some branches of Spar, Mace and Londis, as well as independents including Ardkeen Food Stores in Waterford, and Nolans of Clontarf, Dublin 3.
FINDUS JEAN CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI MEDITERRANEAN RIGATONI(€4.99, 630 calories per 400g pack): First impressions are good - there are whole cherry tomatoes and black olives scattered across the reasonably-sized portion, and the advertised aubergine, red onion, fennel, courgette and peppers are all present. The dish has a far less processed appearance than most frozen meals, and the portions are generous. It can be cooked from frozen in a microwave or conventional oven. "Very good . . . tastes home-made . . . lovely and chunky with a nice firm bite to the pasta . . . just enough sauce, it's not swimming", were some of the comments. The blue cheese glaze, made with Gorgonzola, added an interesting extra dimension without being overpowering. Definitely one to keep in the freezer for emergencies.
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