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

Capers & Caper Berries

by

The caper plant grows on rocky areas and runs around the Mediterranean. As soon as it starts to flower the capers or buds as they are really known, need to be picked before they wilt, otherwise they then grown into the caper berries. These are now the seed pods that are slightly larger and a little sweeter.
Capers can be preserved in salt or vinegar and the berries usually in the latter. They can be used in a variety of recipes, scattered over salads, in sauces, in meat and fish dishes and as a delicious garnish.

Salmon with Capers

Ingredients for 2 portions:

– 400g Salmon Fillets (2)
– 30g Miniature Capers
– 40ml Aggazzotti Balsamic Vinegar
– 100g Butter
– Flat Leaf Parsley
– 6 Caper Berries

Melt half of the butter over a medium heat and add the salmon fillets, skin side down until they turn golden and crispy. Then turn them over until just cooked and remove from the pan.
Wipe the pan clean and add the rest of the butter
until frothy. Add the balsamic vinegar, miniature
Capers and parsley for a few minutes.
Pour the sauce over the salmon and serve at once with a few caper berries as a garnish.

Frappe ai Carciofi
Frappe with artichokes

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 250g Frappe
– 250g Artichoke Heart Sauce
– 30g Miniature Capers
– 1 Shallot Finely Chopped
– 6 Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil
– 50ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Salt & Pepper
– Flat Leaf ParsleyCook the Frappe (which are large wavy dried egg tagliatelle) in salted boiling water until al dente.

In the meantime in a frying pan add the oil and cook the shallot until golden. Over a low heat, stir in the
anchovies until dissolved, add the artichoke sauce and miniature capers. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the pasta to the sauce, sprinkle with some flat leaf parsley, toss and serve at once.

Summer Is Here!

by

With Summer here at last, the wonderful lively colours and flavoursome ingredients in exciting recipe preparations can tantalise your customers, looking for those Mediterranean dishes that are so inviting and tasty.
Char grilled vegetables, miniature capers, yellowfin tuna and delicate artichokes are just some of the ingredients utilised in the following recipes that remind your customers of their fun holidays abroad that they do not want to forget in a hurry !

Stuffed Char Grilled Peppers

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 800g Char Grilled Peppers
– 40g Fresh Bread Crumbs
– 2 Cloves of Garlic Crushes
– 1 Tbs Freshly Chopped Parsley
– 10g Anchovy Fillets
– 20g Miniature Capers
– Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Drain the char grilled peppers from their olive oil. Strain the olive oil and keep for other recipes,
vinaigrettes etc. Mix the rest of the ingredients into a nice stuffing consistency.
Lay the peppers flat with the internal side facing upwards. Spread a little of the mixture in each of the peppers, roll closed and use a toothpick to hold them together.
Place in an oven proof dish, sprinkle with a little of the olive oil from the peppers and place under the grill for a few minutes. The option is to sprinkle some mozzarella on top before placing under the grill.
Sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley and serve at once. Can be served warm or cold.
(Please note that the above recipe can be varied by using the char grilled aubergines instead or doing both).

 

Tuna and Artichokes Salad

Ingredients for 8 portions:

– 800g Yellowfin Tuna Fillets
– 350g Baby Artichoke Hearts
– 2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
– 1/2 Glass of White Wine
– 10g Anchovy Fillets
– 20ml Lemon Juice
– 30ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 20g Miniature Capers
– Freshly Ground Black Pepper
– 1 Tbs Freshly Chopped Parsley
– Mixed Lettuce Leaves

Strain the tuna and the baby artichokes of their oil.
Lightly brown the garlic in the olive oil, add the tuna and the anchovy fillets. Deglaze with the white wine. Add the freshly ground pepper, lemon juice and miniature capers.Remove from heat, add the artichokes and freshly chopped parsley and toss delicately. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Farfalle Rigate

by

Ferrari have made us another winning shape, the Farfalle Rigate egg pasta, shaped like a bow or butterfly but ribbed, making it retain the sauce much better and is more attractive than the standard one plain and smooth. This egg pasta lends itself to many recipes but as the summer is approaching it will make wonderful pasta dishes and salads.

Farfalle with Sunblushed Tomatoes, Capers, Anchovy & Raw Tuna

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 500g Ferrari Farfalle Rigate
– 200g Broccoli Heads
– 150g Sunblushed Tomatoes
– 6 Tornatore Anchovy Fillets
– 1 Small Chilli Pepper
– 12 Thin Slices of Raw Tuna
– 1 Clove Garlic
– 20ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 40g Miniature Capers
– Salt & Pepper to Taste

Blanch the broccoli in boiling water and then cool down. In a frying pan heat the oil with the garlic, chilli, anchovy fillets until melted and well amalgamated. Season carefully with salt and pepper. In the meantime cook the pasta in salted boiling water till al dente.
Drain and toss in the sauce. Place each portion in a plate and place on top 2 thinly slices of raw tuna and serve immediately.

Farfalle all’ Antipasto

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 500g Ferrari Farfalle Rigate
– 150g Sunblushed Tomatoes
– 350g Grandantipasto
– 50g Miniature Capers
– 300g Tinned Tuna in Olive Oil
– 40ml Fig Vincotto
– Freshly Chopped Herbs
– Spring Onions
– Salt & Pepper to Taste

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, strain, toss in a little oil and cool down. Chop the fresh herbs like basil, thyme, parsley and the spring onions and toss in the pasta. Add all the other ingredients and season to taste. Leave to marinate for a few hours before serving so that the pasta absorbs all the flavours. A Delicious and colourful Pasta salad.

Farfalle

by

Granarolo have made us another winning shape, the Farfalle egg pasta, shaped like a bow or butterfly but ribbed, making it retain the sauce much better and is more attractive than the standard one plain and smooth. This egg pasta lends itself to many recipes but as the summer is approaching it will make wonderful pasta dishes and salads.

Farfalle with Sunblushed Tomatoes, Capers, Anchovy & Raw Tuna

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 500g Granarolo Farfalle Rigate
– 200g Broccoli Heads
– 150g Sunblushed Tomatoes
– 6 Tornatore Anchovy Fillets
– 1 Small Chilli Pepper
– 12 Thin Slices of Raw Tuna
– 1 Clove Garlic
– 20ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 40g Miniature Capers
– Salt & Pepper to Taste

Blanch the broccoli in boiling water and then cool down. In a frying pan heat the oil with the garlic, chilli, anchovy fillets until melted and well amalgamated. Season carefully with salt and pepper. In the meantime cook the pasta in salted boiling water till al dente.
Drain and toss in the sauce. Place each portion in a plate and place on top 2 thinly slices of raw tuna and serve immediately.

Farfalle all’ Antipasto

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 500g Granarolo Farfalle
– 150g Sunblushed Tomatoes
– 350g Grandantipasto
– 50g Miniature Capers
– 300g Tinned Tuna in Olive Oil
– 40ml Fig VincottoChef
– Freshly Chopped Herbs
– Spring Onions
– Salt & Pepper to Taste

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, strain, toss in a little oil and cool down. Chop the fresh herbs like basil, thyme, parsley and the spring onions and toss in the pasta. Add all the other ingredients and season to taste. Leave to marinate for a few hours before serving so that the pasta absorbs all the flavours. A Delicious and colourful Pasta salad

Ligurian Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil 450g

by

Anchovies are a small, shiny, silver fish of the Mediterranean area and thus very popular in the local cuisine.

Many recepies use anchovies for a punch of flavor where the anchovies are neither recognizable visually nor by the taste buds. Anchovies are often that secret ingredient that you just can’t put your finger on, the one that really makes the recipe pop.

Ideal as Pizza dressing and Antipasto Salad but also for classic recipes contain anchovies such as Worcestershire sauce, Remoulade sauce and Green Goddess dressing .