Menu Speciality Food Ltd (FKA) IB Food Ltd

Fine Italian ingredients for chefs

Menu Speciality Food Ltd

Suppliers & importers of high quality Italian and
Mediterranean ingredients for discerning chefs

Flavours for the Christmas Festivities

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 Here comes the long awaited Christmas festivities celebrated with lunches and dinners all pre organised to enjoy each other’s company.
The time to enjoy different recipes, flavours, aromas of various traditional cuisine’s that can all combine together with the Mediterranean theme: – diversifying from the usual
Roast Turkey….

Risotto alla Campagnola
(Risotto with Ceps and 5 Cheeses)

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 400g Condimento Porcini Sauce
– 35g Buon Brodo (Vegetable Bouillon)
– 500g Vialone Nano Rice
– 1 Shallot Finely Chopped
– 50ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 28g Butter
– 50ml White Wine
– 60g 5 Cheese Sauce
Agnello ai Carciofi
(Lamb with Artichokes)

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 6 Giudia Artichokes
– 6 Lamb Stincottos
– 100g Pancetta (Bacon)
– 1 Onion Finely Chopped
– 1 Clove Garlic Crushed
– 50ml White Wine
– Freshly Chopped Parsley
– 50ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Salt and Pepper

Fry the garlic, onion and diced pancetta (bacon) in the olive oil until golden then add the lamb until slightly browned. Add the white wine and allow to evaporate. Salt and pepper to taste.

Once the lamb is nearly done, (approximately 20 minutes), cut the giudia artichokes into quarters and add to the lamb with the parsley.
Heat throughout.

Serve at once.

Miniature Capers

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They may sound like an exotic fruit but the little bud from the caper plant makes an exquisite ingredient in a variety of recipes.
They grow wild around the Mediterranean on rocky and ancient stony ruins, where the tenacious roots burrow deep to suck the moisture that other plants would never find; and the buds are picked before they flower and then either packed in salt or vinegar for preservation.
The miniature capers in delicate white wine vinegar are ideal for that special more refined recipe, the larger capers in salt need rinsing well but are more delicate in flavour not having that slight sharpness to them that the vinegar can give, but can be salty and you may not need to add salt to the recipe – so beware !

Cold Roast Swordfish with Caper, Tuna & Sundried Tomato Cream

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 1kg Piece of Swordfish
– 2 Garlic Cloves
– 110ml White Wine
– 40ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Salt & Pepper
– 30g Miniature Capers
– 15g Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil
– 100g Tuna in Olive Oil
– 40g Sundried Tomatoes in oil
– 80g Mayonnaise
– Splash of Lemon Juice

Leave the skin on the swordfish. Make small slits through the skin and push in the slivers of garlic. Place the swordfish, skin side up, in a shallow dish, lightly oiled. Pour over the white wine, season with salt and pepper, drizzle more oil and roast at 190’C for about 40 minutes, basting frequently until slightly cooked through. Leave to cool.
In the meantime, make the cream by blending all the ingredients together until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
To serve, slice the swordfish very thinly, discarding the skin, and arrange on a dish, place the cream to one side. Serve at once.

Marinated Parmesan & Buffalo Mozzarella with Capers, Garlic & Lemon

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 2 Buffalo Mozzarella
– 150g Piece of Fresh Parmigiano Reggiano
– 40ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 10ml Lemon Juice
– 1 Grated Zest of Lemon
– 1 Garlic Clove Crushed
– 40g Miniature Capers
– 2 Tbs Finely Chopped Parsley
– 200g Mixed Lettuce Leaves
– 2 Tomatoes Finely Diced

Slice the mozzarella and Parmesan, arrange  alternatively on a dish.
Whisk all the other ingredients to make the dressing.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, then spoon over the cheeses and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
When ready to serve, place some mixed leaves on a plate, top with the cheeses and some of the dressing. Scatter the diced tomatoes around the plates.
Serve at once.

Cocktail of Wild Mushrooms

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 This medley of 6 wild mushrooms is superb for wonderful unusual dishes that can be created easily and cost-effectively. Preserved in oil and herbs gives the utmost flexibility in all types of recipe preparation, with a colourful mixture of the most popular wild mushrooms, without any problems of availability during seasons.

Oriental Wild Mushroom Salad

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 100g Cocktail of 6 Wild Mushrooms
– 225g Cherry Tomatoes Cut into Halves
– 225g Fine Green Beans Trimmed
– 100g Straw Mushrooms in Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar
– 100g Mixed Lettuce Leaves

Dressing

– 1 Tbs Chinese Salted Black Beans
– 2 Tsp Grated Fresh Root Ginger
– 4 Tbs Olive Oil from the Mushrooms
– 1 Tsp Aggazzotti Balsamic Vinegar
– Salt & Pepper
To make the dressing, rinse the black beans
thoroughly, dry and chop roughly.
Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a small pan and add the black beans and ginger. Fry gently for
approximately 1 minute. Remove, cool and mix with the remainder of the ingredients.
Drop the fine green beans in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well and leave to cool. Mix all the ingredients, toss in the dressing and serve.

Wild Mushrooms with Mascarpone

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 40g Mascarpone Cheese
– 320g Made up Polenta
Beat the mascarpone with the chives, salt and  cayene pepper to taste, Chill.

Make the polenta by pouring in boiling salted water and cook stirring constantly for 5 minutes until thick (herbs can be added to the polenta). Remove from the heat, spread on a chopping board
approximately 1 inch thick. When cool cut out 4 by 3 inch rounds. Brush both sides with the melted butter and place on a baking sheet.
Season the cocktail of wild mushrooms and place some on each circle. Place under a grill for 5-8
minutes until hot. Quickly transfer onto plates, top with the chilled mascarpone and serve immediately.

 

Porcini Del Boscaiolo

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 Rustic theme for the coming autumn with the distinctive flavours. Porcini mushrooms (edible boletus) adapt themselves wonderfully in the preparation of both traditional and innovative recipes.
The king of the wild mushrooms has its own exceptional flavours that combined with a variety of ingredients stands out and giving that extra special aroma making the dish unique.

All is needed is a few days of rain and nature creates this wonderful funghi.

Pesce in Cartoccio con Porcini
Baked Fish in Parcel with Porcini

Ingredients for 1 portion:

– 1 Whole Fillet of Sea Bream (or John Dory or SeaBass)
– 80g Porcini del Boscaiolo
– 40g Baby Artichokes in Oil & Herbs
– 20g Sundried Tomatoes
– 5g Fish Fumet
– 10ml La Nonna Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Black Pepper to Taste

In a baking tray line with silver foil and baste with the extra virgin olive oil. Place the Porcini on the foil and the fillet on top. Sprinkle with a little of the fish fumet and freshly ground pepper.
Drizzle some olive oil on top. Place the artichokes and the sundried tomatoes to one side.
Close the foil around the fish so that it looks like a parcel and bake in a preheated hot oven (200’) for approximately 15 minutes until the fillet is cooked.
Remove from the foil and serve at once with the artichokes and sundried tomatoes as a garnish.

 

Gnocchi with Porcini Gratin

Ingredients for 8 portions:

– 1 Bag Gnocchi Powder
– 450g Porcini del Boscaiolo
– 100g 5 Cheese Sauce
– 50ml Milk
– Salt & Pepper to Taste
– 1 Clove Garlic
– Freshly Chopped Parsley
– 50g Freshly Grated Parmesan
– 20g Butter

Prepare the gnocchi as per the instructions on the bag (i.e. mix with 1 litre of cold water and knead to a dough, shape and cut to size one desires).
Heat the porcini with the garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Add some of the freshly chopped parsley.
In another saucepan melt down the 5 cheese sauce with the milk and butter. Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water until they rise to the top and strain. In a baking dish, that has been buttered, place a layer of the gnocchi, add a few tablespoons of the mushrooms and a little of the 5 cheese sauce. Alternate another layer with the Gnocchi, porcini and cheese sauce. Sprinkle the freshly grated Parmesan on top and Bake in the oven until golden.
Serve at once.

Savoury Tartes

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 Delicious savoury tartes that can be made with a variety of our ingredients and served warm as a starter. A wonderful substitution for vegetarian recipes.

Torta Salata con Carciofi
Artichoke sauce savoury tarte

sauce, 5 cheese sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
Add the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites until stiff and then slowly amalgamate with the mixture.
Pour into the pasty case and place in a preheated oven at 120’ for approximately 1 hour.

Serve alone or warm with some 5 cheese and
truffle sauce.

Torta Salata alle Noci
Savoury walnut sauce tarte

Ingredients for approx. 6 portions:

– 1 packet of puff pastry rolled out
– 3 Eggs
– 430g Pumpkin sauce
– 100g 5 Cheese sauce
– 100g Walnut sauce
– 30g Parmigiano reggiano grated cheese
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Whole walnuts to decorate

Line a buttered 20cm dish with the puff pastry.
Prepare the mix by heating slowly the pumpkin sauce, 5 Cheese and the walnut sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
Remove form heat and add the 3 whole eggs and the parmigiano reggiano.
Pour into the pastry case, decorate with whole
walnuts and place in a preheated oven at 120’ for approximately 1 hour.
Serve alone or warm with some 5 cheese and
walnut sauce.

Artichokes & Asparagus

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Just a few summer ideas using Artichokes and Asparagus.
The recipes of Summer are associated with the colours of artichokes and spinach, of peppers and asparagus, the aroma of fresh young herbs of the season, the flavours delicate and interesting.

Risotto with Artichokes & Speck

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 300g Artichoke Heart Sauce
– 1Lt Beef Bouillon
– 60g Speck
– 1 Onion Finely Chopped
– 2Tbs Freshly Chopped Parsley
– 28g Butter
– 30ml Extra Virgin olive oil
– 200ml White Wine
– Salt and Pepper
– 100g Freshly Grated Parmesan
– 500g Vialone Nano rice

Gently fry the onion and speck in the oil and butter until golden. Add the rice and stir until it becomes slightly transparent. Add a little of the white wine.
Keep the stock (22g bouillon to 1 litre of water) in a saucepan constantly simmering over a low heat.
Add some stock to the rice and as it absorbs,
adding more a little at a time. When nearly cooked add the artichoke sauce and the rest of the wine. Salt and pepper to taste.
Once ready (slightly al dente which takes approximately 20 minutes) add the freshly grated parmesan and parsley.
Serve at once.

Tagliolini with asparagus & Herbs

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 250g Tagliolini
– 250g Asparagus Tip Sauce
– 250ml Double Cream
– 4 Garlic Cloves
– 60g Butter
– Salt and Pepper
– 4 Tbs Freshly Chopped Herbs
(Basil, Parsley, Oregano, thyme)
– 100g Freshly Grated Parmesan
In a pan bring the cream to boil with the whole garlic cloves and simmer until they are soft. Remove from heat and discard the garlic.
Add the herbs, butter, asparagus tip sauce and simmer until it thickens. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the tagliolini in salted boiling water for
approximately 30 seconds or until al dente. Drain and toss in the sauce. Add the parmesan cheese. Serve at once.

Sugo all’Isolana

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 A long awaited, full of mediterranean ingredients, sauce made with fresh tomatoes,
sundried tomatoes, capers, anchovies and a touch of chilli. Rich in flavour and colour and can be used in a variety of recipes.

Coralli all’Isolana

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 400g Sugo All’Isolana
– 250g Coralli Pasta
– 25g Pine Nuts
Cook the Coralli in salted boiling water until al dente. Toast the pine nuts lightly. Place the Isolana in a frying pan to heat, add 1 ladle of boiling water to dilute a little and the pine nuts.
Strain the pasta and toss in the sauce. Portion into plates and serve at once.

Tonno all’Isolana

Ingredients for 1 portion:

– 1 Fresh Tuna Steak
– 30g Sugo All’Isolana
– 20g Crème Fraiche
– 100g Wilted Baby Spinach Leaves
– 5ml Extra Pesto Oil

Sear and grill the tuna steak.
Heat the Isolana sauce with the crème fraiche and pour over the tuna steak. Serve at once on a bed of freshly wilted baby spinach leaves. Drizzle the extra pesto around the plate and serve at once.

Bruschette all’Isolana

Ingredients for 1 portion:

– 1 Bruschetta
– 2 Chargrilled Aubergine Slices
– 30g Isolana Sauce
– 2 Tbs Crème Fraiche

Grill the bruschetta bread on both sides, brushing with some extra virgin olive oil if liked. Place on a plate, add the chargrilled aubergine slices, top with the Isolana sauce, dot with the tablespoon of crème fraiche.
Place under a grill to heat through and slightly brown the crème fraiche. Serve at once.

 

Isolana Sauce

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A new ingredient for a traditional flavour! New to iB Food’s range of traditional sauces is Isolana – a tomato based sauce which is richer in colour and taste than conventional tomato based sauces.

Ideal with all varieties of pasta,particularly Rigatoni and Coralli. The sauce is made from fresh tomatoes,Chef sundried tomatoes, capers, anchoviesand a touch of chilli. It also makes agreat accompaniment to strong flavoured fish such as seared tuna steaks or as an ingredient in a wide range of starters such as bruschetta. For a slightly milder sauce, particularly good when used in starters, Isolana can be mixed with creme fraiche. Isolana can also be mixed with mascarpone to create a mouth-watering dip. In future issues we plan to feature your recipe suggestions – so do send them in. Here we have a couple of simple, yet effective serving suggestions for you to try.

Rigatoni All’ Isolana

A pasta starter blending the tantalising tomato sauce with toasted pine nuts.

Serves 4 as a starter

– 400 g Sugo All’Isolana – 250g Rigatoni Pasta – 25g Pine Nuts Prepare the Rigatoni in salted boiling water until al dente. Toast the pine nuts lightly. Place the Isolana sauce in a frying pan and heat through. Then add I ladle of boiling water to dilute the sauce a little and then simply add pine nuts. Strain the pasta and toss in the sauce.Then serve.

Tonno All’ Isolana

The sauce sets off seared tuna steak beautifully.

For one serving

– 1 Fresh Tuna Steak – 30g Sugo All’Isolana – 20g Creme Fraiche – 100g Steamed Spinach Take one fresh tuna steak, sear and grill. Heat the Isolana sauce with Serve on a bed of freshly steamed baby spinach leaves.

Pumpkin Puree

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Some other delicious ideas for pumpkin dishes that are delectable, delicious, finger licking, want some more recipes.

Pumpkin Souffle with 5 Cheese Sauce & Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients for 8 portions:

– 1000g Menu` Pumpkin Puree`
– 4 Whole Eggs
– 200g Single Cream
– 50g Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
– 150g White Bread (Crusts Removed)
– Salt and Pepper to Taste
– Freshly Grated Nutmeg to Taste

For the sauce:

– 450g 5 Cheese Sauce
– 450ml Milk
30ml Aggazzotti Gold Label Balsamic Vinegar (or you can use the traditional)

Butter and flour the souffle` dishes.

In a mixer blend all the ingredients until they become an amalgamated dense creamy mix. Fill the souffle` dishes to three quarters and cook in the oven in a bain-marie for approximately 40 minutes at 180’. Melt the 5 cheese sauce with the milk, pour a little on each dish, add the cooked souffle` then drizzle some balsamic vinegar around and serve.

Tagliatelle with Pumpkin and Rucola

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 250g Dallari Tagliatelle
– 1 Small Bunch Wild Rucola (Rocket)
– 300g Pumpkin Puree`
– 100ml Single Cream
– Salt and Black Pepper
– 100g Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Heat the pumpkin sauce with the single cream, salt and freshly ground black pepper and parmigiano reggiano to get a nice creamy sauce.
Cook the egg tagliatelle in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and toss in the sauce, adding the rucola torn into pieces. Serve at once.

Artichoke Hearts Sauce 

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A wonderful sauce made with artichoke hearts chopped and cooked in sunflower oil and herbs making a delicious sauce for risottos, pasta, meat and fish dishes, bruschetta and savoury tartes. If one adds lemon juice to keep the colour it can be used on canapé’s. An all season product but especially nice in Spring and Summer.

Tagliatelle in an Artichoke Sauce

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 500g Dallari Egg Tagliatelle
– 400g Artichoke Heart Sauce
– 50g Butter
– 250ml Cream
– 80g Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
– 3 Eggs
– Salt and Pepper
– 1tbs Freshly Chopped Parsley
– 1 Clove Garlic

Pan fry the garlic in the butter, then add theChef artichoke heart sauce. Add half the cream and heat slowly. In a bowl beat the eggs with the parmigiano, rest of the cream, salt, pepper and parsley.

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.

Strain, toss in the frying pan and stir with the sauce, then add the mixture from the bowl. Amalgamate and serve at once nice and hot.

** Here one could add some panfried pancetta to give more flavour but it not longer is a vegetarian option.

Artichoke Risotto

Ingredients for 10 portions:

– 1kg Vialone Nano Rice
– 810g Artichoke Hearts Sauce
– 150g 5 Cheese Sauce
– 50g Butter
– 60g Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
– 150ml White Wine
– 1 Finely Chopped Onion
– 44g Buon Brodo ( Vegetable Bouillon)
(making 2 litres of vegetable stock)

Fry the onion in butter until golden, add the vialone nano rice and stir for a few minutes. Add the white wine and let it evaporate over a low heat, then pour the stock a little at time allowing the rice to slowly absorb the liquid until cooked “Al Dente”.

The stock must always be kept on the stove so that it remains constantly hot. After 20 minutes, add the artichoke hearts sauce, 5 cheese sauce, freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, and continue to cook adding the stock when required, stirring constantly.

( The secret in achieving a wonderful risotto is never to saturate the rice with stock to the point of boiling in the liquid, it must slowly absorb a little at a time).

With this special rice, it takes approximately 30 minutes to have the risotto nearly cooked as the vialone nano remains “al dente”. Once the risotto has reached this stage, remove from heat and place in a large baking tray so that it can cool down very quickly. Once cool place in a refrigerator until required. To reheat the risotto, place the portion required in a saucepan adding a little boiling vegetable stock and stirring constantly until ready, approximately 5 minutes. Et voila!