Fall’s bounty is cropping up, ready to fill the table with hearty and flavorful dishes. The variety of produce has us excited for this season, especially alliums. This month our focus has been The Glory of Garlic, our ninth top trend of 2021 that focuses on the memorable punch of flavor and aroma of these earthy, sweet, pungent culinary staples. But the flavor inspiration doesn’t stop there. From carrots and cauliflower to potatoes and pumpkins, the cornucopia is filled with inspiring ingredients. Here’s a few suggestions we’ve rounded up to feature on fall menus.
Amongst alliums, leeks, scallions, shallots, onions, and garlic are harvested in the fall and prime for imparting flavor across the menu. To kick off a meal, here’s a starter that’s perfect for warming up on a cool fall day: Stinking Rose Chowder. Don’t let the name fool you; a chowder by any other name would taste as sweet. The soup is filled with flavors from bacon, Yukon potatoes, celery, onion, aromatics, and of course, roasted garlic.
When it comes to entrees, we’ve got a couple great ideas. First, offer a plant-based option with this Wild Mushroom Ragout with Pecorino Polenta and Arugula. Fresh wild mushrooms are caramelized with shallots, garlic, and white wine a top of golden-brown polenta finished with a truffle-scented chive hollandaise. Or, take a move right out of Chef Smith’s playbook: New Jersey-Style Garlic Blue Claws. This simple recipe features Custom Culinary® Master’s Touch® Roasted Garlic Flavor Concentrate and consists of fresh cleaned cracked crabs sautéed over high heat with lots of garlic, onion, butter, ground pepper, and chili flakes. For more ideas using in-season alliums, be sure to scroll through our recent The Glory of Garlic trend spotlight, which features key culinary attributes and signature menu applications for each allium.
Beyond the garlic family, other in-season produce include cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and kale. All can be found within this lineup of bowls. Starting with a twist on the familiar is a Charred Beef, Vegetables, and Grain Bowl which brings together the flavors of flank steak, quinoa, Farro, butternut squash, brussels Add additional flavor by roasting the farro prior to cooking. Next in the lineup is a dish that takes an American favorite and gives it Asian flair. Our Fried Chicken and Coconut Noodle Bowl pairs up roasted brussels sprouts and fried chicken to make this mashup fresh and hearty, along with rice noodles, coconut flakes, and cilantro. This last bowl is also Asian inspired, combining crunchy riced cauliflower stir-fried together with with kimchi, scallions, and edamame, then topped with a sunny side up egg with a drizzle of Custom Culinary® Korean-Style Sweet Heat Sauce.
If you’ve been busy adding grab-and-go items or meal kits to your operation’s offerings, look no further than these seasonal prepared dishes. Root Vegetable Primavera makes use of falls’ sweet potatoes, carrots, Swiss chard, and garlic along with Gold Label Portion Control Alfredo Sauce packs for a fresh and nutritious meal on the go. Make it your own by adding in other produce, roasted or grilled elements, or even “upcycled” items such as carrot tops.
We hope these suggestions get your wheels turning for some new fall and into-winter menu items. Sticking with in-season produce is one of our favorite ways to Be True to the Food.® As the leaves turn, be sure to visit some of our other recent blogs that feature trending fall flavors and soup season to give you more inspiration. They might just light the spark of your next menu hit!
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