Seasonal menus: When the sun shines

Barbecues

TIME TO dust off the barbie - and suppliers are not short of menu ideas and new products to cook in your garden while the sun shines.

Prep Foodservice Solutions​ has a range of sauces that can be used to marinade meat, fish or vegetables, as well as for use as dips. With a global reach, the range includes American Smokey BBQ, Sticky BBQ, Hickory BBQ, Very Hot Chilli, Hot Piri-Piri and Thai Sweet Chilli sauces.

Why not try basting chicken legs with Hot Piri-Piri sauce, a fiery blend of chilli, garlic, oregano and paprika, to add some spice to a barbecue?

Or brush char-grilled corn on the cobs with the Thai Sweet Chilli variety just prior to serving.

Prep Foodservice Solutions: 01482 332 100, www.prepoils.co.uk or www.chalicefoods.co.uk​

Barbecue-ready chicken products from Moy Park ​allow chefs to save time creating bespoke barbecue dishes. Roast chicken drumsticks can be finished on a barbecue, as can wings of fire, which have been pre-marinated in a fruity, hot sauce before being oven-roasted. Buffalo wings, chicken wings marinated in a blend of seasoning, can be cooked from frozen.

Moy Park suggests a number of quick and easy accompaniments for these products. The chicken drumsticks, for example, can be served with mango salsa and seasonal salad, the wings of fire with potato wedges, garlic bread and mango salsa, and the buffalo wings with sour cream and chive dip in a combo with loaded potato skins and baby corn.

Moy Park: www.moyparkfoodservice.co.uk​

A new powder mix range of stock bases has been launched by Major​, joining the company's existing marinades in providing robust flavourings that can be used to complement meat, fish or salad dishes this summer.

The marinades include the new Tennessee Mari-Base, which features Tennessee whiskey and Cajun seasoning. According to Major, the Mari-base is rich and sticky, perfect for pork ribs.

There are seven varieties of the soluble powder stock bases: beef, cheese, chicken, fish, lamb, mushroom and vegetable. They can all be used to create interesting soups, gravies or sauces.

Major: 01933 440 711, www.majorint.com​

Bernard Matthews Foodservice​ has a host of ideas for barbecues, such as new turkey breast steaks, turkey medallions and - for meaty kebabs - diced turkey breast from the company's Ingredients range. Skewered with peppers, cherry tomatoes and button mushrooms, the diced turkey can be served on the skewer, plated or in a wrap or pitta bread envelope.

Bernard Matthews' Fine Dining range is targeted at upmarket barbecues, with its Norfolk split turkey fillet and a choice of superior New Zealand lamb cuts. The four-rib lamb rack is 'French-trimmed' and can be presented as a rack or cut into cutlets. The boneless lamb loin has all fat and silverskin removed, while the boneless chump steak is a lamb alternative to the traditional steak.

Bernard Matthews: 01603 872 611​

Salads and other summer options

Menus on long, hot days are not just about barbecues, of course. Here are some other products to tempt customers with light, summery dishes over the next few months.

Ethnic specialist Veetee​ suggests making use of arborio rice in risotto dishes. Arborio grains have high starch content, plus the grains are short and plump, so the starch released during cooking creates a distinctive velvety smooth texture.

It can be used, for example, in tuna and chilli rice patties. Add in vegetable stock to the patties bit by bit, heating and stirring continuously for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the rice has been cooked in the stock, add diced tuna, red kidney beans, the zest and juice of a lemon and some finely chopped chilli and lemongrass. Then mould the mixture into patties, cover with flour, coat with beaten eggs, and fry before finishing off in a hot oven.

Veetee: 0800 032 1673, www.veeteefoodservice.com​

Cherry Valley​ has a range of duck products that can be used to create distinctive summer salads - a healthier alternative to traditional meat and poultry salads, such as chicken Caesar.

To incorporate a Chinese flavour, pub chefs can use Cherry Valley's ready-sliced duck, available in plain roast and Peking flavours. The first of these could be placed on a bed of mint, coriander and lettuce, with cashew nuts, ginger and a chilli dressing. The second can be employed as a crispy duck salad with noodles and bitter orange vinaigrette.

Cherry valley: 01472 371 271, www.cherryvalley.co.uk​

Prep Foodservice Solutions​ also has several ranges of infused oils and condiments, suitable for dressing summer salads (pictured right). Its Chalice oils combine premium quality olive oil with 100 per cent fresh ingredients, rather than synthetic flavourings. The line includes garlic, basil, chilli and lemon flavours. Balsamic vinegar is perfect for salads such as rocket and mozzarella. Alternatively, drizzle over strawberries for an unusual Italian-inspired summer dessert.

The Lions range offers more traditional salad accompaniments. It includes Thick and Creamy mayonnaise, garlic mayonnaise and salad cream, all in economy pack sizes offering value for money. Thousand island, blue cheese, honey and mustard dressings and many more are available.

Prep Foodservice Solutions: 01482 332 100, www.prepoils.co.uk or www.chalicefoods.co.uk​

Pub chefs will find a host of ideas on how to use potatoes this summer at the British Potato Council's​ (BPC) website, which features recipes created by top chef Andrew Pern, of the Michelin-starred Star Inn in Harome, Yorkshire.

Light uses of the humble spud suitable for this time of year include 'bake in a bag' potatoes with garlic and oregano butter and char-grilled English asparagus with midsummer mash, chervil and scallion butter. Parcel buttered potatoes along with the herbs in greaseproof paper and baking in the oven. For more recipes see the BPC website.

British Potato Council: www.potatoesforcaterers.co.uk​

Phil Cumming, brand director, RHM Foodservice, says: "Stir-fries suit the pub market as they are really quick and easy to prepare and cook, and they can be made in bulk in advance. Also, if your pub garden gets so busy in the summer that all the tables are taken, stir-fries can conveniently be served in takeaway style boxes, which customers can eat from while standing outside." Along with seasonal ingredients, Phil advises using Sharwood's Ready to Use Oriental Sauces to save time making sauces from scratch. The Sharwood's range can be used straight from the jar or in marinades, dips, glazes, dressings or soups. Sharwood's range of authentic accompaniments including noodles and prawn crackers, as well as Sharwood's branded takeaway boxes, complete the Eastern experience.

RHM Caterer AdviceLine: 0800 328 4246 www.rhmfoodservice.co.uk​

Pane Italia​ has launched a pizzatta snack and a focaccia bread finger for the foodservice sector.

The pizzata is a bite-sized snack based on a margarita pizza and made with real tomato, basil and mozzarella. The foccacia finger is designed for dipping into sauces. Both products have the health benefit of being baked, not fried.

Pane Italia: www.paneitalia.co.uk​

Woodward​ tuna bites in lime and coriander coating are another light option for summer. They come frozen, can be deep fried in between six and eight minutes, served as a starter with a spicy dip or offered with chips and salad.

Its Tapas Canapes (pictured below) are a product suited to sharing in the sun. Bite-sized latticed puff pastry shapes, they are available in three flavours: goat's cheese and red onion; tomato, bean, chorizo and courgette; and tomato and pesto.

Woodward: 0870 600​