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

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 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 Parsley

Cook 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.

 

Balsamic vinegar 

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Long known and appreciated for its fine taste, it came to be referred to as ‘balsamic’ thanks to its medicinal qualities. The Estense dukes served it at court. Francesco IV (1779-1846), Duke of Modena, loved to keep a little casket of the precious liquor in his touring coach. Some of the local noble families have managed to pass down from generation to generation personal recipes for the preparation of Balsamic Vinegar, while continuing to feed and produce vinegar that was actually started by their ancestors years ago.

Balsamic Vinegar is a very important ingredient in today’s Mediterranean style of cuisine. It is not just a dressing but used in recipe preparation can make that extra difference to the final dish.

Try it in your recipes and see—Sweet yet Tangy !!!

Strozzapreti al Balsamico

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 830g Pomodorina
– 300g Strozzapreti
– 30ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 2 Cloves Garlic Finely Chopped
– 2 Tbs Fresh Basil
– 20ml Aggazzotti Gold Balsamic Vinegar
– 75g Butter
– 100g Freshly Grated Parmesan

Fry the garlic in the oil until brown. Add the
pomodorina, season with salt and pepper and the
fresh basil leaves.
Cook the strozzapreti in salted boiling water until
al dente. Drain and return to the saucepan with the
butter. Once melted add the balsamic vinegar and toss over a low heat for a few seconds until the penne are brown in colour.
Add the parmesan and pomodorina sauce.
Stir well and serve at once.
Rabbit in Balsamic Vinegar Onions

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 1 Rabbit cut in to Pieces
– 830g Baby Onions in Balsamic Vinegar
– 300g Mushrooms in Aseptic
– 40ml La Nonna Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 4 Tbs Flour
– 4 Tbs Fresh Herbs (Rosemary & Thyme)
– Salt and Pepper

Toss the pieces of rabbit in the flour to lightly coat them. Heat the oil with the herbs and add the rabbit for approximately 10 minutes.
Add the baby onions in balsamic vinegar (including their dressing) and cook slowly for another 20 minutes.
Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce.
Add the mushrooms for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Salt and pepper to taste.
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.

 

Stincotto Shank of Pork

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 Stincotto is a section of a leg of pork (the same flavoursome meat as Prosciutto – Parma Ham) in an aluminium bag, pre-cooked with an ambient shelf life of 18 months.

In excess of 600g / 21oz on the bone, Stincotto offers the possibility of adding a succulent
aromatic meat dish to the menu without using up valuable refrigeration space, and ready at short notice.
It is an unusual dish that once served it captures the eyes of curious clientele and in a few months becomes one of the attractions on the menu reassuring repeat business.

Now available in a half version cut through the bone.

Honey & Mustard Crust Stincotto

Ingredients for 1 portion:

– 1 Whole Stincotto
– 1 Tbs Honey
– 1 Tbs Wholegrain Mustard
– 112g Lamon Beans
Remove the stincotto from the bag, place in a baking tray. Mix the honey and
mustard and pour over the pork.

Place in a preheated oven (medium) for
approximately 15 minutes until crispy on top.

A few minutes before removing from the oven, heat the lamon beans in a pan and serve together with the stincotto.

Stincotto al Balsamico

Ingredients for 1 portion:

– 1 Whole Stincotto
– 2 Tbs Aggazzotti Green Label Balsamic Vinegar
14g Baby Onions in Balsamic Vinegar

Remove the stincotto from the bag, place in a baking tray. Pour over 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar and place in a
preheated oven (medium) for
approximately 15 minutes.

Halfway through cooking, add the
remaining tablespoon of balsamic vinegar over the stincotto and baste well.

In a frying pan add the baby onions in
balsamic vinegar and caramelize.
Serve with the stincotto and its juices.

Cucina Antica Cipolline in Aceto Balsamico 6x290g

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Sweet ‘n’ sour Borettane onions cooked in balsamic vinegar of Modena and extra virgin olive oil. Excellent either hot or cold as a starter or an aperitif. They are also used in buffets or as a side dish for recipes with balsamic vinegar, such as cutlets or fillets. We can heat them up with their preserving liquid until it dries out to obtain a caramellised side dish. Also excellent eaten with grilled or boiled meat or with fish.

Aggazzotti Affinato 100ml

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This natural vinegar comes from stocks averaging 15 years and older. Each winter, barrels are drawn off from the oldest stocks,
ensuring a consistent blend. Thick, rich, and concentrated; true “one drop” vinegar.

Aggazzotti Gazza Gialla IGP 250ml

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Rich, full flavored, and slightly sweet ‐ this balsamico is 100% natural from pesticide‐free plantings and made the traditional way.

For use with steak, fish, or simply add 5 drops to your favorite olive oil and a pinch of salt for the perfect dressing.