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

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.

Sundried Tomato Condiment

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 An intense condiment bursting with Mediterranean sunshine. This combination of rich ingredients, sundried tomatoes, anchovies, capers and extra virgin olive oil make this recipe full of flavour and very versatile to use.

Scaloppine al Pesto di Pomodoro

Ingredients for 3 portions:

– 6 Slices (60-70g) Veal Tenderloin
– 4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 1/2 Tbs Butter
– 1 Tbs Miniature Capers
– 3 Tbs Sundried Tomato Condiment
– Splash of White Wine
– Flour for Dusting
Gently pound the veal slices to a 3mm thickness.

Dust lightly with flour. Heat the olive oil and butter in a wide frying pan and add the veal for a minute.

Add all the other ingredients to the veal and cook through. Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Please note that you can substitute the veal with chicken, pork and fish fillets, the recipe will still work wonderfully.

 

Crostini of Polenta with Sundried Tomato Condiment

Ingredients for 6 to 8 portions:

– 1kg Polenta ( already made up)po
– 150g Sundried Tomato Condiment
– 100g Mascarpone
– 125g Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano

 
The polenta should be about 1cm thick and cut into square or diamonds of 7-8cm.

Heat the char grill pan and when hot add the polenta squares already brushed with extra virgin olive oil.

Cook until the polenta pieces have grill marks on both sides and form a nice crust.

Divide the Sundried tomato condiment between the squares, add a little mascarpone on top of each, sprinkle with the pecorino romano. Put under a hot grill for a few minutes to melt the cheese slightly, remove and serve immediately.

Lasagne with a Difference

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With the trends towards to a healthier more mediterranean way of eating, the following recipes have been created using Pesto, Char Grilled Aubergines, Sundried Tomatoes etc.
Easy to do, you can make single portions to order. They look very attractive and pleasing to the eye, not to mention the wonderful flavours.
(A vegetarian solution without too many problems).

Tomato, Goat’s Cheese & Basil Lasagne

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 250 g Dallari Egg Lasagne
– 500g Pomodorina
– 500g Bechamel
– 60g 5 Cheese Sauce
– 80g Pesto alla Genovese
– 280g Goats Cheese
– 30g Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Cook the Lasagne in salted boiling water until al dente. (You can add a drop of extra virgin olive oil to stop the sheets sticking once drained from the water.)
Lay each sheet down separately and cut into 4 inch by 2 inch rectangles. You will need 4 for each
individual serving.

In a small bowl mix together the pesto and the goats cheese. Make up the bechamel (1 litre water to 250g bechamel powder), and add the 5 cheese sauce for flavour. Keep warm. Heat the
pomodorina.

Place a sheet of pasta onto the plate, top with a
spoonful of pomodorina then place over another
sheet. Top with a spoonful of pesto and goats cheese mixture, top with another sheet of pasta, another spoonful of pomodorina and then the last sheet of pasta. Spoon some bechamel over the pasta, sprinkle with parmigiano reggiano and place under a grill until the cheese is brown.
Serve at once

Grilled Aubergine, Sundried Tomatoes & Mascarpone Lasagne

Ingredients for 4 portions:

– 250g Dallari Egg Lasagne
– 600g Pomodorina
– 100g Sundried Tomatoes
– 200g Mascarpone
– 350g Char Grilled Aubergines
– 30g Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
slightly.

Lay the lasagne rectangle on a plate, place a slice of char grilled aubergine, a pasta sheet of top, ten spoon some of the mascarpone mixture,
a pasta sheet, char grilled aubergine slice, a pasta sheet, and lastly the mascarpone mixture. Top with some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.
Place under a grill until the cheese browns and serve at once

Pomodorina

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Pomodorina is an exceptional concasse of tomatoes, herbs and oil with flavour and body that very little can beat.
Made with fresh tomatoes picked from the crème de la crème of crops during the peak of the season, pomodorina can be used as a base to make sauces, canapé’s, soups, whatever the immagination creates. Small diced tomatoes make it an authentic home made concasse that tastes and looks homemade. Once you have tried it you will never turn back again !

Penne al Finocchio e Pomodoro
Penne in a Fennel & tomato sauce

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 500g Ferrari Penne
– 2 Fennel Bulbs
– 500g Pomodorina
– 20ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Salt & Pepper
– 60g Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Drop the Penne in salted boilingwater until cooked al dente.
In the meantime thinly slice the fennel and pan fry in the extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes. Add the pomodorina, salt and pepper.
Toss the pasta in the sauce, add the parmesan and serve at once.

Coda di Rospo al Sole
Monkfish in a pink sauce

Ingredients for 6 portions:

– 6 Monkfish Steaks
– 600g Pomodorina
– 200g Mascarpone
– 80g Sundried Tomatoes in Olive Oil
– 2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
– 10g Freshly Chopped Parsley
– 30ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Salt & Pepper
– Seasoned Flour for Coating
Pan fry the garlic and parsley in the olive oil for a few minutes until golden. Place the monkfish in the seasoned flour to coat then add to the hot oil.
In another plan slowly heat the pomodorina and mascarpone until well amalgamated. Chop the
sundried tomatoes and add to the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.
Once the monkfish is golden add the sauce until the fish is cooked to perfection and still moist. A splash of white wine can enhance the dish but an option. Serve at once.

Cucina Antica Pomodori del Sole 6x200g

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Typical product of southern Italy, it stands apart from the rest thanks to its bright red colour which means the tomatoes have been dried in the southern sun and are brought back inside at nightfall to prevent the smokiness caused by dew and damp. As they are not dried in a drying house, they are softer on the palate and tastier. They can be used as a starter, or we can chop them up to use in pasta dishes, perhaps adding a drizzle of olive oil, basil, oregano, capers and a bit of tomato sauce. We can use them in panini or sandwiches, by adding mayonnaise or soft cheese and mixing in a mixer or food processor. A quick, fancy idea for your aperitifs. Take a small mozzarella, wrap it in a sun-dried tomato, and fasten with a toothpick. Dress with a drizzle of extra virgin oil and a light sprinkling of oregano.

Bruschetta

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The Bruschetta bread we have introduced are large oval slices, all of the same dimension, a wonderful taste and texture that need only brushing with some extra virgin olive oil, toasted and then a topping added.
In this era of pizza, crostini, canapé’s, sandwiches etc. it seems opportune to launch this traditional bread that is easy and quick to prepare.
Lovely cut into pieces and served as a starter or even as a main course served whole. A little imagination with the variety of toppings can tantalise any mouthwatering tastebuds!

Bruschette with a medley of toppings

– 1 Packet of Bruschette ( 5 large slices)
– 100g Zingara Sauce
– 50g Five Cheese sauce
– 25g Truffle Paste
– 50g Pesto
– 150g Pomodorina
– 40g Sundried Tomatoes
– 20g Pinenuts
– 100g Goats Cheese
– 80g Walnut Sauce
– 100g Gorgonzola
– 30g Fresh Walnuts

Place the bruschette on a baking tray, brushed with a little olive oil and toast on both sides.
For each one you can vary by the following :

1. Place the zingara sauce on one, add some mozzarella and toast.
2. Place the 5 cheese sauce on the bruschetta then dot the truffle paste around, grill and serve.
3. Spread one with the pomodorina, dot with the pesto sauce, add either mozzarella or shavings of parmigiano reggiano, grill and serve.
4. On another, slice the sundried tomatoes and mix with the goats cheese. Sprinkle the pinenuts on top. Grill and serve.
5. Spread the walnut sauce over the Bruschetta, add bits of gorgonzola and fresh walnuts. Grill and serve.

Delicious!!!!!

(Don’t forget this method can be used as hot canapé’s at cocktail parties etc.)
With a little imagination the toppings are endless don’t forget the chargrilled vegetables, pizzicosa sauce, golfo di napoli etc. all make tasty variations.

Medley of Wild Mushrooms Bruschetta

Ingredients for 5 portions:

– 620g Cocktail of Wild Mushrooms
– 50g Pinenuts
– 100g Sundried Tomatoes
– 10ml Aggazzotti Balsamic Vinegar
– Freshly Chopped Parsley & Thyme
– 5 Bruschette
– Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
– 150g Pecorino Romano Cheese

Brush the bruschette with extra virgin olive oil and toast on both sides. Drain most of the oil from the wild mushrooms and put them in a frying pan. Chop up and add the sundried tomatoes, pinenuts and the balsamic vinegar.

Heat through, salt and pepper, add the parsley, thyme to taste.

Place the topping on the bruschette, add some shavings of pecorino romano cheese, grill and serve at once.