5 International Food Trends to Embrace this Summer

international_food.jpgIs your family ultra-trendy? Always keeping up with the latest and greatest of…everything? How about in the kitchen?
One of the best things about cooking at home is the ability to experiment with a wide variety of flavors, ingredients and recipes, including those that make their way over from the far corners of the world. (And often, these are the most fun to experiment with!)

Stay on top of the latest global flavors by incorporating some of these fresh international food trends into your family meal planning this summer (courtesy of Good Housekeeping):

 

German_potato_salad_with_sausage.jpgTrend # 1: German Food
German foods like sausages, beer and pretzels are showing up on a lot of menus this year. Try cooking up some Five Star pork sausage links or patties to make the most of this traditional German treat!

Recipe Idea: German Potato Salad with Sausage

Prep Time: 30 min.

Cook Time: 6 hours

Makes 5 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 bacon strips, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 pound smoked Five Star kielbasa or sausage, halved and cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 2 pounds medium red potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
  • 1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain. Saute onion in drippings for 1 minute. Add sausage; cook until lightly browned. Add potatoes; cook 2 minutes longer. Drain.
  2. Transfer sausage mixture to a 3-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the soup, sauerkraut, water, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour over sausage mixture. Sprinkle with bacon. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Source

Purple_Yam_Skewers.jpgTrend # 2: Eat Your Ube
Everyone is eating Ube, (pronounced oo-beh), a purple-colored yam found in a lot of Filipino dishes. The great thing about this vegetable is its versatility…it’s delicious in everything from salads and empanadas to cheesecake and ice cream.

Recipe Idea: Ube & Pineapple Kabobs

Prep Time: 25 min.

Cook Time: 25 min.

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 medium purple yam (Ube)
  • 1/2 red bell pepper cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 green bell pepper cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup red onion cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup pineapple cut into small cubes
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Hung curd (thick curd)
  • 1 tablespoon roasted gram flour
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1-1/2 tsp Chaat Masala powder
  • 1 tsp Tikka Masala
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp oil for grilling
  • some small skewers

 Directions

1.   Peel the Ube and cut into cubes.

2.   Boil the Ube in water for 5-6 min till it gets slightly soft. Make sure it’s not overcooked. Drain the water.

3.   Put the boiled Ube into a mixing boil, add some salt and chaat masala. Mix very well and set it aside for 5 min.

4.   Heat grill pan at medium heat. Once it’s hot, sprinkle some oil on the pan. Grill it from all sides until Ube gets roasted and gets a golden color on all sides. Once it’s done, turn off the heat. Set the Ube aside on a plate.

5.   In a mixing bowl, add hung curd, turmeric powder, 1 tbsp oil, roasted gram flour, chaat masala, kashmiri red chili, tikka masala and salt to taste. Mix all ingredients very well. 

6.   Add cut bell peppers, onion and pineapple. Mix all ingredients very well. Cover and set aside for 10 min.

7.   Arrange the yam, pineapple, onion and bell peppers on skewers.

8.  Heat a grill pan at medium heat and once it’s hot, sprinkle 2 tsp oil on the pan. Place the kabobs onto the pan.

9.  Grill kabobs on all sides till golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Arrange the cherry tomatoes on the ends and grill kabobs for 1 more min. Serve.

 Source

 

Hawaiian_poke_.jpgTrend # 3: Hawaiian Poké
If you love sushi, you’ll probably be a big fan of Hawaiian Poké, which is a salad of marinated raw fish, vegetables and sauces. Not a huge fan of raw fish? Try incorporating some of your cooked Five Star seafood into the mix. We won’t tell!

Recipe Idea: Hawaiian Poké Bowl

Ingredients

  • 8 oz raw Salmon or Tuna
  • Sliced avocado
  • 1/2 cup brown rice
  • 1 tsp Low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sambal olek (or other hot sauce)
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • Scallion
  • Toasted sesame seeds

Directions

To make 4 Poké bowls:

1.  Cut 8 ounces of sashimi grade salmon or tuna into 1/2-inch cubes.

2.  Toss with 1 teaspoon each of low-sodium soy sauce, sambal olek (or your choice of hot sauce), toasted sesame oil and freshly grated ginger.

3.  Add a pinch of kosher salt, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

4.  Put a 1/2 a cup of warm, cooked white or brown rice in 4 bowls and top with some of the marinated salmon.

5.  Top each with some thinly sliced scallion and a ¼ of a sliced avocado.

6.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or furikake—a Japanese seasoning blend.

Source

Summer_Squash_salad.jpgTrend # 4: Squash & Pumpkin Lucky these are so tasty and nutritious, as they are showing up in quite a few places this year. They are easy to find and provide a great base for a million different recipes. Try pairing them with your Five Star Certified Angus Beef, poultry or seafood for a delightful side dish!

Recipe Idea: Summer Squash Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 large Zucchini
  • 1 large Yellow Squash
  • 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Mint, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Chives, minced
  • 1/2 cup Feta, crumbled
  • 1/4 Pumpkin Seeds, toasted

Directions

1.  Using a vegetable peeler, slice ribbons lengthwise down the zucchini and yellow squash.

2.  Place ribbons in a large bowl.

3.  Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, mint and chives.

4.  Toss the dressing with the squash ribbons.

5.  Top with crumbled feta and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Source

seaweed_salad.jpgTrend # 5: Seaweed
Our sources tell us that seaweed is the new black, (although some of us have been chowing down on this highly nutritious green stuff for years!) Seaweed comes in a variety of forms and is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and is one of the few sources of dietary Iodine. Not to mention, seaweed pairs magnificently well with lean protein (which, if you are a Five Star customer, you already happen to have in your freezer!)

Recipe Idea: Seaweed Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dried Wakame seaweed
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  • Optional: add half moon slices of an English or Persian cucumber

 Directions

  1. Place the dried seaweed in a glass bowl and cover with cold, filtered water. Let stand for about 10 minutes until tender. Then drain and wring out any excess water in the seaweed.
  2. Make the dressing by whisking the ginger, vinegar, liquid aminos and sesame oil together. Once combined, pour over the seaweed (and cucumber if using) and refrigerate to allow the flavors to develop from a half hour to overnight.
  3. When ready to serve, toss the sesame seeds on top and enjoy.

Source

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Do you follow international food trends?

Which ones have you incorporated into your meal planning?

Tell us about them here!

  

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