Issue 9 / Summer 2014

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Add Seafood to Summer Salads

Trendy ingredients, bold flavors, and a wider variety of vegetables and toppings are contributing to the wild success of salads this year. As consumers continue to seek healthy options while dining out – especially during swimsuit season – fish and shellfish can be positioned as the ultimate protein powerhouse to top already nutritious salads. And according to Technomic, Inc., consumers are willing to pay for it.

Technomic’s “Left Side of the Menu: Soup & Salad Consumer Trend Report” found that 90% of consumers would be willing to pay more to add meat or seafood to a salad that doesn’t already contain it. Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President of Technomic outlines four things consumers are looking for in a salad:

Customizability:Abilitytoaddshrimp,leave offanegg,ororderhalfportions.

A“Premium”Offering:Think“signaturesalad,” made-from-scratchingredients,ormoreelaborate menudescriptionslike“hand-pickedjumbo lumpcrab.”

NutritionInformation:38%ofconsumers sayit’simportantthatrestaurantsprovide nutritioninformationfortheirsalads(and 53% say they order salad because it’s a healthy option).

MoreVariety:Fruit-heavysalads,grain-based salads,ormoreuniqueflavorssuchas sesame -ginger, curry or mesquite.

In creating a three-dimensional salad, Foodservice Warehouse emphasizes three important things; flavor, texture and contrast. Warm seasoned fish on a bed of crunchy chilled greens is a combination customers will love. With endless options of ingredients, salads are a versatile item sure to sizzle this summer.

It doesn’t have to be complicated: ready-to-serve dressings like ranch, blue cheese, and various

vinaigrettes are customer favorites.

Fat2.8g4%

Superfood Salads Beyond the Bowl of Lettuce

Visit www.choosemyplate.gov to learn more aboutthe dietary guidelines for Americans and check out

www.aboutseafood.com for more recipe ideas!

Health continues to rank as a top motivator for consumer choices. In the world of increasingly health-conscious consumers, “superfood” lists have become extremely popular, and seafood tops nearly every one. Consider adding some of these other nutrient-dense “superfoods” to your salad to “up” the appeal and nutrition ante:

Kale: This vitamin-packed veggie was mentioned 380 times more often on menus in 2013 than four years

prior, according to Technomic’s MenuMonitor. Consumers continue to epitomize kale as one of the healthiest options on a menu. Think: Kale and blue cheese salad with grilled salmon.

Blueberries: Antioxidant-rich blueberries are a favorite among consumers and chefs. According to a survey by Hebert Research, 58% of consumers

associate blueberries with healthier dishes on restaurant menus and, according to a Technomic survey, chefs like blueberries because they’re healthy, low-labor and easy to use. Think: Arugula and blueberry salad with seared red snapper.

Avocados: Consumer demand for avocados has exploded. Executives from McDaniel Fruit Co. say weekly U.S. consumption of 30 million pounds is becoming the norm, up significantly from 15 million

to 20 million pounds weekly just five years ago. Summer is the perfect time to promote salads featuring the “heart-healthy” food. Think: Mesclun salad with crab meat and avocado.

Nuts: Nuts are no longer just a healthy snack food – small but mighty, they’ve found their way onto menus as the perfect crunch to add texture (and taste!) to salads. Cashews, peanuts, walnuts and almonds are some favorites. Think: Spinach salad with grilled tilapia and candied walnuts.

Think beyond a bowl of lettuce with new presentation of salads that satisfy:

Power Bowls: Thesedeconstructedsaladsnotonlylookgreat,butmakepeoplefeelgreat.Filltheplatewithpilesoffoodofdifferentcolorsandtextureslikecubedgalaapple,dicedavocado,shreddedredlettuce,dicedcelery,andflakedtunaorsalmonwithacreamy,citrusdressing.

Grains Instead of Greens: Trymixingatried-and-truecombinationofchoppedvegetables,crumblycheese,andproteinwithanunexpectedgrainlikequinoa,wheatberry,orwildrice.Shrimpisagoodchoicetopairwithquinoa,olives,feta,freshdill,dicedcucumber,dicedtomato,andatangyvinaigrette.

Fill Up on Fruit: Fruitsaladisn’tjustaside.Makethisrefreshingsummerstapleintoamealbyincorporatingseafood.Tryscallopswithtropicalfruitsincludingmangosorcrabwithcitrusfruitslikebloodoranges.

Salmon Niciose Family Style10 - 4 oz. Salmon fillets5 ea. Hard boiled eggs- peeled and cut in half1 cup chopped Nicoise olives2 pt. Halved cherry tomatoes1 lb. of Blanched and chilled green beans¾ lb. of fingerling potatoes 1½ lb. Mixed greens¼ cup Red wine vinaigrette• Place fingerling potatoes in pot and cover with lightlysalted water. Cook on low flame, careful not to hard boil, until potatoes are tender.• Strain cooked potatoes and cool. Cut potatoes into desired bite-size shapes. • Pan sear Salmon fillets in olive oil using a cast iron skillet. Cook 3-4 mins. each side. • In large bowl, toss mixed greens, olives, cherry tomatoes, green beans, and cooked fingerlings. Dress in your favorite red wine vinaigrette.• Place dressed salad on large platter and arrange halved hard boiled eggs around platter.• Arrange Salmon fillets on top of salad.

Goatcheese,gorgonzola,asharpcheddarorother“strongcheeses”instantlyuptheflavorprofileofasalad–whatconsumerswant.Thebestnews?

Alittlegoesalongway,whichisawin-winforchefsandcustomerswhoarewatchingcalories.

One of the keys to success is to focus on a

handful of menu items and do those

really, really well.

- Doug Povich, co-owner of Red Hook Lobster Pound-DC

Food trucks are driving into the hearts of consumers as a dining option that is both fun and flavorful, and Red Hook Lobster Pound proves that seafood is the perfect fit for this growing category. From seafood sourcing to social media, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the business.

Scan the QR Code for Hooked’s videolook inside the famed “Lobster Truck.”