Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/139333
prepared food focus Savory Summer-Fruit Dishes Peaches, plums, mangoes and other fruits can add sparkle to otherwise ordinary salads, soups or entrees. BY JOANNA PRUESS J uicy summer fruits, like peaches, apricots and plums, make great partners in savory and spicy dishes. Fresh salad greens become far more stylish when tossed with diced or sliced stone fruits and paired with cheese and walnuts. Add grilled shrimp and it is a main course for a sultry evening. The spicy Italian condiment mostarda can be made with peaches and cranberries to enliven even simply prepared poultry, fish or roasted meats. And Thai-scented curried mango soup with fresh salsa is a luscious foil for lobster meat and a great hot-weather entree. While summer fruits are far more perishable than citrus fruits or apples, all is not necessarily lost when they are slightly older than what would be put on display in the produce department. For example, once any bruised pieces are discarded, they can be pureed for soup or simmered as part of a compote or condiment. Additionally, when cutting up fruits, the trimmings can be saved and used as part of a vinaigrette or flavoring in summer drinks. The fresh taste of summer fruits helps make prepared foods sparkle. Stone Fruits and Field Greens Salad with Feta, Walnuts and Plum-Basil Vinaigrette • Devilish Game Hens with Peach-Cranberry Mostarda • Chilled Thai Curried Mango Soup with Lobster and Mango– Red Pepper Salsa Stone Fruits and Field Greens Salad with Feta, Walnuts and Plum-Basil Vinaigrette Yield: 4 to 6 portions • Prep time: 25 minutes Shelf life: 1 to 2 days without dressing; once dressed, best served at once For this enticing summer salad, you can mix together many greens—such as radicchio and mâche—with a variety of stone fruits and fresh herbs. Complement the pairing with feta and toasted walnuts and toss with a vinaigrette of pureed plums and saba, a syrup made from reduced grape must. For a more substantial salad, serve with grilled shrimp on top. For the vinaigrette: 7 ounces chopped fresh dark plums 1 clove garlic 5 tablespoons mild olive oil 3 tablespoons saba ¼ teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves For the salad: 4 ounces field greens and assorted herbs 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese 2 ounces walnuts, toasted 2 tablespoons walnut oil 1 pound diced or sliced stone fruits, including plums, peaches, nectarines and cherries salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1. In the jar of an electric blender, combine the plums, garlic, olive oil and saba and puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a bowl and stir in the basil leaves. 2. In a large bowl, combine the greens, herbs, feta and walnuts, and toss with the walnut oil; divide among 4 or 6 plates. Add the fruit and spoon the vinaigrette on top and season. Nutritional Data (per portion): Calories: 290; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Sodium: 260 mg; Fat: 25 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g PHOTOS: MARK FERRI; FOOD STYLING: ROSCOE BETSILL; PROPS STYLING: FRAN MATALON-DEGNI NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS: LAUREN BRAUN, NUTRITIONAL LIFESTYLE DESIGNS, MIAMI, FL JULY/AUGUST 2013 135