I recently had a chance to speak with Ian Kerr from Ocean Alliance at our April Food Show in Foxboro. Ian took time out of his busy schedule of educating the public about our oceans to come down and spend time doing the same for our customers. As you know by now, Ocean Alliance is our partner in our Nautifish brand of seafood. It’s been a great partnership and one that has generated funds for the great work that this fine organization does.

I introduced our new Nautifish Chowder to Ian and right away, he professed to be a chowder lover. The Nautifish chowder comes in a variety of bases including a Seafood Chowder, a New England Clam Chowder and a Lobster Bisque. They can accommodate a wide range of operator requests and recipes, using them as is or adding some of their favorite seafood to them to create their own version of the Nautifish experience. Summer is just around the corner and we all how much New Englanders love their seafood.

Ian says his years at sea have taught him about great seafood as well as the importance of seafood as a great source of protein in our diets. See my talk with Ian Kerr and see what he has to say about what’s new at Ocean Alliance.

And if you’re looking for more information about this wholesale food distributor’s fine line of seafood products, and especially the chowder, hop on over to the Nautifish website.

Well, every month is burger month here at AGAR but someone officially cited the month of May as National Burger Month. Not sure who but we’ll celebrate it anyway. We sell more burgers than most here at this Wholesale Food Distributor. After all, we were founded as a meat distributor so you could say; burgers are our specialty among many other things.

The burger represents the ultimate in comfort food. It’s easy to handle (sometimes…) and the possibilities are endless if you let your creativity wander. If you have the right blend and rind, you can have a burger on your menu that people will come back for again and again and rave about it to their friends. A couple of things I like to point out;

 Make sure you have an 80/20 blend. It’s the perfect blend for a great burger.

Don’t shortchange your burger by skimping on the roll. The roll can make or break a burger so choose carefully.

If you want to create even more burger recipes for your menu, please book an appointment with me in our Test Kitchen. We’ll work together to create those burgers that your customers will rave about.

Our own Paul Elias recently came to the Test Kitchen to ask me about why the burgers is such a popular menu item; See our talk below;

Don’t forget Nautifish on Mother’s Day! This lighter fare will receive rave reviews from moms looking for a hearty but not-too-filling entrée. Fresh, flaky fish is complimented by juicy, cherry tomatoes. The addition of olives and shallots kick up the taste a bit and fresh capers provide a nod to spring flavors. This dish will leave moms feeling special by providing exceptional tastes and flavors which are satisfying and comforting. Happy Mother’s Day from wholesale food distributor, AGAR!

Ingredients:

Nautifish Haddock                 8 oz.

Olive oil                                  2 tsp.

Ground pepper                        1/8 tsp.

Minced shallot                                    ½ tbl.

Halved cherry tomatoes          ½ cup

Chopped olives                       1/8 cup

Rinsed and chopped capers    ½ tbl.

Oregano                                  1 tsp.

Balsamic vinegar                     ½ tsp. 

Preparation Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rub haddock fillet with 1 tsp. of olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes (fish should easily flake with a fork). While fish is roasting, sauté shallots in remaining oil for about 20 seconds. Add tomatoes, olives and capers. Stir for about 30 seconds. Add oregano and vinegar. Place haddock on plate and spoon warm tapenade over each serving.

This incredible dish will spoil and pamper any mom’s taste buds. The rich and sophisticated taste of veal will be an exceptional treat. Crabmeat and hollandaise sauce keep the meal extravagant and filling but the fresh asparagus gives a luxurious hint of spring tastes. This food distributor has Mom taken care of…

Ingredients:

Veal top cutlet, 3 oz.               2 cutlets

All purpose flour                     ¼ cup

Olive oil                                  1 tsp.

Butter                                      1 tsp.

Fresh asparagus                       4 spears

Back Fin Crabmeat                 2 oz.

Warm Custom Hollandaise

Sauce                                       2 oz.

Preparation Instructions:

Place veal between 2 pieces of wax paper and pound as thin as possible (without tearing cutlet). Dredge in flour (shake off excess) and place in heated pan with olive oil and melted butter. Brown on both sides, remove from pan and place on plate. Reheat asparagus by dropping in boiling water for 30 seconds. To assemble, place asparagus on veal, top with crabmeat, ladle hollandaise over crabmeat.

This light dish will satisfy diners who want to commemorate the festive holiday without adding inches to their waistline. Chopped romaine gets a kick when combined with chili- flavored pork. Citrus vinaigrette and bell peppers provide a fresh taste of spring and further enhance the sumptuous grilled flavor of the meat.  Leave it to AGAR for last-minute Restaurant advice. Have a great celebration…

Ingredients:

Pork Tenderloin                                  1 ¼ lb.

Chili powder                                       1 tbl.

Citrus Vinaigrette                               1 1/3 cups

Bell pepper, sticks                               4 oz.

Spanish onion, cut into ¼ slices          4 oz.

Chopped romaine                                8 cups

Tri color tortilla chips                          2 cups

Preparation Instructions:

Place pork in a shallow dish, sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Cover with 2/3 cup of vinaigrette and marinate for 10 minutes. Place peppers and onions on baking sheet and brush with 1/3 cup of vinaigrette. Grill vegetables until tender, turning often, about 8 minutes. Remove pork and grill until cooked (internal temp 155 F). Thinly slice meat

This menu item is easy, fun and fresh. It is a great choice for post-work patrons looking to grab a quick bite or an appetizer and can also be served as part of a festive buffet. Shrimp provides a clean taste that is complimented by rich, apple bacon. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce complete the feisty flavors with a smoky, fiery finish. Leave it to this wholesale food distributor to make things easy for you…

Ingredients:

Apple smoked bacon                          2 oz.

Diced onion                                        2 oz.

21/25 count p&d shrimp, cut in half   4 oz. (6 pcs.)

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce        ½

Corn Tortillas                                      2

Lime (cut in ½ and juiced)                  1

Salt and Pepper                                   To taste

Preparation Instructions:

Dice bacon and fry over medium heat, drain bacon fat. Add diced onions to bacon and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp and chipotle chilies and cook until thoroughly heated. Add lime juice and cilantro. Fill heated tortillas with shrimp mixture.

Cinco de Mayo is a provincial Mexican holiday that has become a fiesta honored throughout North America and gives patrons an excuse to dine out and celebrate mid-week. A few lively dishes added to your menu for this occasion can bring diners into your establishment and provide them with flavors that will wake up their taste buds and make their parties Muy Buena! This week, this wholesale food distributor will offer some choices which feature the flavor of Mexican culture and traditions and may easily be added to your specials menu to appease different appetites.

Latin Chili Boneless Short Ribs with Spanish Potato Salad

This south-of-the-border item may be served as an entrée or as part of a Cinco de Mayo buffet. Succulent short ribs feature a full flavor enhanced with citrus, onion and cilantro. It is hearty enough to satisfy a hungry appetite but has fresh tastes that keep diners feeling light and ready to celebrate. Complimented with potatoes, the dish is delightful on the eyes and can be further enjoyed with a margarita or cerveza.

Ingredients:

Boneless Short Ribs                            3 lb.

Custom Latin Chili Citrus Marinade  20 oz.

Simplot Recipe Quick ½”x1”x1”

Cubes                                                  20 oz.

Olive Oil                                             6 fl. oz.

Red onion, sliced thin                         8 oz.

Minced capers                                     1 oz.

Minced garlic                                      ½ oz.

Sliced black olives                              2 oz.

Sliced green olives                              2 oz.

Lime juice                                           6 fl. oz.

Chopped cilantro                                1 oz.

Salt                                                      1 tsp.

Ground black pepper                          ½ tsp.

Preparation Instructions:

Place boneless short rib in roasting pan. Cover Latin Chili Citrus Marinade and refrigerate for 5 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, cover with foil and bake until meat is tender (about 2 hours). Place potatoes in boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and place in mixing bowl. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium. Add the onion and cook until lightly softened. Add the capers, garlic and olives. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Pour over potatoes, add the cilantro, season with salt and pepper and gently mix together.