Bring on the Seafood

BRING ON THE SEAFOOD!

Learn how to add nuances of delicious flavor to your seafood menu.

It just takes a few rules of thumb and a little creative inspiration to really kick your seafood menu offerings into high gear. Infuse depth and dimension to seafood through various marinades, glazes and crusts. Each delicate addition dials up the vibrancy of your dish, while ensuring that the seafood is complemented,
not overwhelmed.

Your diners often choose a seafood dish because it’s unique, wholesome and flavorful. By ratcheting up the dish’s profile with a well-rounded marinade, an herb-packed crust, or perhaps a sweet and zesty glaze, you’re sure to deliver
delicious results.

Inspiration

A Fine Balance
Our chefs at Kraft Foodservice approach seafood with a keen sense of balance. “You don’t want to change the texture of the seafood,” says Jeff Basalik, executive corporate chef. “Your goal is to add subtle notes to the profile, while preserving
its succulence.”

	Contents
	Infusing Flavor
	A Fine Balance
	Recipes
	Create Your Crust

How do you know which preparation method will result in the best flavor?
“You marinate fish to boost flavor,” says Aliza Katz, corporate chef at Kraft Foodservice. “You glaze to add color and shine. Glazing doesn’t penetrate the fish, instead, it coats the outside. That gives you a different experience in your mouth.” Then, adding a crust to a fish gives you a different textural play. It also is a great way to add complexity to a dish’s flavor profile.

Behind the Recipes

In the Toasted Pinenut-Crusted Fish recipe, the crust seals in the juices while adding a toasty, well-rounded profile. The combination of garlic, rosemary and pine nuts gives this dish its great, heady flavors. “We used Grey Poupon to bind the crust, but also to give it some subtle background notes,” says Chef Basalik. “There’s not an overwhelming flavor of mustard at all; it just enhances the cod.”

In the Lime-Ginger Panko Crumb-Crusted Fish recipe, the profile is decidedly Asian. This dish has a great texture with some really clean elements, such as the ginger and the lime. “Here, we spread Grey Poupon over the fish, and then apply the topping. It acts as a glue, but brings in some wonderful depth of flavor,” adds Chef Basalik.

Another ethnic dish that relies on Grey Poupon is the Asian Salmon Planks. “The mustard seals the juices in the fish, and its earthy flavor is augmented with coriander seed and pepper,” says Chef Katz. The result is moist, delicious fish with nuances of Asian flavor.

The marinade for the Jalapeño Cilantro Shrimp and Vegetable Kabob marries Kraft Golden Italian Dressing with fresh cilantro and jalapeño. “We marinate the shrimp for 15 minutes, tenderizing the shrimp and adding some nice tang and fresh flavor,” says Chef Basalik. Because of the residual sugar, the dressing also helps bring a nice char out when the shrimp
is grilled.

In the Spicy Shrimp Salad, the shrimp are marinated in Durkee Hot Sauce, which adds some subtle heat and tenderization. The hot sauce helps with the charring of the shrimp, and plays really well against the Ranch Dressing on the salad. Chef Basalik points out, “With all of these dishes, we’re looking to enhance, not mask, the great fresh flavors that seafood brings to the table.”

Recipes

Asian Salmon Planks

Jalapeño Cilantro Shrimp and Vegetable Kabob

Spicy Shrimp Salad

Glaze to add color and shine
Marinate to boost flavor
Encrust to provide a different texture and complexity

Catch Some Inspiration

Crusts can really enhance the visual and textural appeal of your dish. Consider these base ingredients when building your own seafood crusts:

Breadcrumbs
Brown sugar
Crushed crackers
Fresh garlic
Fresh or dried herbs

Fresh or pickled ginger
Grated lemongrass
Mustard
Toasted nuts
Vinaigrettes

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