Thrill diners with these exciting and delicious recipes.
For diners, summer is about fun, relaxed food—shareable appetizers, crisp salads, grilled anything, burgers. For chefs, summer is about capturing the best of this abundant season. Summer invites chefs to develop recipes with fruits and vegetables that are at their sun-kissed best. They get to show off simple, quality ingredients with lighter-styled cooking techniques, like grilling and poaching. They get to play with temperatures in the summer, from chilled soups to cool salads and cold sorbets—all of that spells fun for today’s passionate chefs.
Our team of chefs kept those elements in mind when developing these favorite summer recipes. The trick with favorites is in capturing the essence of the familiar and popular, but elevating it into something new and exciting. We think these recipes do just that.
Fun Shareable Apps
Shrimp and Vegetable Rolls with Mustard-Chili Sauce
Our chefs add depth of flavor to these refreshing summer rolls with a Mustard-Chili Sauce, keeping its Asian profile with rice-wine vinegar, sriracha, cilantro and fresh lime juice. Grey Poupon Classic Dijon Mustard adds viscosity and complexity.
Latin-Style Crab Cake Appetizer with Spicy Tropical Slaw
These mini crab cakes are designed to fit into small-plates menus or shareable-apps menus. The crab cakes capture the Latin vibe with poblanos and the slaw packs heat with TAPATÍO Hot Sauce, a welcome new addition to our product line up!
Orange Bistro Dipping Sauce
This versatile dip keys into the mega trend of Asian cuisine. Indeed, Asian appetizers rank in the top five in the NRA’s 2010 Restaurant Industry Forecast. Our chefs suggest pairing it with tempura shrimp, grilled shrimp or battered onion petals.
Summer Salads
Balsamic Salad with Grilled Vegetables
A simple salad that boasts the best of the farmers’ markets—eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash. With locally-grown produce ranking number one in the NRA’s 2010 Restaurant Industry Forecast, featuring recipes packed with fresh, seasonal produce may give operators a competitive edge.
Mexicali Chicken Chopped Salad with Cool ‘N Spicy Dressing
Looking across the field of chain menus and independent operator menus, we see that chopped salads continue to be best sellers for operators.¹ This one turns the chopped salad southward, boasting avocado, queso fresco, tortilla chips and black beans.
Dijon Tomato Salad with Preserved Oranges and Fresh Herbs
Joshua Linton, executive chef of Aja at the Dana Hotel & Spa Chicago created this recipe. One of our esteemed 2010 Chefs of Grey Poupon, in this dish, he updates the summer tomato salad with a luscious Dijon vinaigrette and a delicious finish of orange confit.
Fun Entrées
Flat Iron Steak Sandwiches with Arugula-Basil Pesto
According to Technomic’s 2010 Sandwich Consumer Trend Report, “Diners want more variety in sandwiches, with expectations highest in those aged 18 to 24. Only about half of consumers polled (52 percent) were satisfied with the variety of sandwiches available at sub shops and delis, while just 42 percent were satisfied with the sandwich offerings at full-service restaurants. Eighteen- to 24-year-olds were least satisfied, at 44 percent and 40 percent respectively.” This sandwich delivers on those high expectations of quality ingredients and uniqueness.
Grilled Red Snapper Tacos with Bistro-Chipotle Spread
California may have started the fish-tacos craze, but the rest of the nation is clamoring for them, too. Indeed, California Pizza Kitchen recently rolled out its Baja Fish Tacos nationally. Ours offers the best of summer—grilled fish, avocado, tomato, fresh cilantro, tomatillos—with a flavorful spread made with a simple plus two of Grey Poupon Bistro Sauce with green onions and chipotle.
Poblano Burger
Again referencing the NRA’s 2010 Restaurant Industry Forecast, Latin American/Nuevo Latino profiles falls in the top five in the category of Ethnic Cuisines and Flavors. This recipe adds two ingredients that transform America’s hamburger into a study of Latin flavors—roasted poblanos and Chihuahua cheese. For added zing and mouthfeel, our chefs spread A.1. Thick & Hearty Steak Sauce on the whole-wheat bun.
Healthy Living
Chicken & Watermelon Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Bursting with big flavors, this recipe falls into the better-for-you category. With contrasts of sweet and spice, this refreshing salad is a perfect addition to summer menus.
Southwestern Black Bean Relish
Great as an app (serve with tortilla chips) or a side dish, this cooling blend of black beans, summer corn, red pepper and green onion gets a big kick of flavor from A.1. Steak Sauce embellished with olive oil, lemon juice and fresh cilantro.
All-American Parfaits
This low-fat dessert is bursting with color and flavor. Fresh blueberries and strawberries keep it luscious and refreshing, while Jell-O Strawberry Gelatin and prepared Dream Whip Whipped Topping make it festive.
Fun Desserts
Chocolate Dulce de Leche Tarts
This decadent, fun dessert features the creamy wonderfulness of chocolate and dulce de leche with Nutter Butter Dessert In-fusions added for contrasting texture and peanut-butter flavor.
Chocolate-Covered Oreo Creme Cupcakes
Cupcakes play in the same sandbox as mini desserts, which continue as a huge trend in foodservice. These surprise and delight with Oreo Creme Frosting—both inside the cupcake and outside. For even better stage presence, our chefs then enrobe the cupcakes in chocolate ganache and decorate with Oreo Creme In-fusions.
Citrus Splash Mini Mousse Cakes
Want another mini dessert? These little cakes refresh with lively citrus flavors and a light-as-a feather mousse topping.
¹ In Flavor & the Menu’s Spring issue, operators interviewed call out chopped salads as best sellers.