Chef’s Produce Picks

Grape Tomato Medley

Item #11522
12/8 OZ

Introduced to the worldwide market in the 1990s, grape tomatoes have gained substantial popularity, due at least in part to their higher sugar content compared to regular tomatoes and their smaller, bite-sized shape. Grape tomatoes are oblong and shaped like grapes. They’re about half the size of cherry tomatoes, with thicker skins and flesh that is meatier and less watery. Use these multi-colored gems in gazpacho, on salads, in pasta dishes and as part of your signature bruschetta. Simply cut in half, season and present.

Fennel

Item #19475
3 count

The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are used in many of the culinary traditions of the world. The leaves are delicately flavored and similar in shape to those of dill. The bulb is a crisp vegetable that can be sautéed, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw. Use the vibrant green fronds as a whole leaf garnish, stems and core can be used in soups and stews and shaved fennel pairs great in salads with baby arugula & kale. Be sure to store shaved fennel in acidulated water as it will oxidize.

Celery Root

Item #2642
1/10 lb

This root vegetable-like strand of celery is cultivated primarily for its creamy textured off-white bulb. The Subtle distinction of celery flavors shines through and pairs well with a wide range of center of the plate offerings. Celery root is great in soups, as a velvety sauce or simply roasted and seasoned with sea salt as a stand-out vegetable offering.

Blood Oranges

Item #26403
1/44 ct

Blood oranges are a variety of orange with crimson, almost blood-colored flesh. They have a unique flavor compared to other oranges, being distinctly raspberry-like in addition to the usual citrus notes. Blood orange juice can range from being somewhat tart to the sweeter more characteristic blood orange taste. Try using blood oranges to create marmalade. Use the zest can for baking. Serve sliced blood oranges with sliced fennel bulb and olive oil. Or, use for delicious citrus gelatos and sorbets.

Brussel Sprouts

Item #26674
1/25 LB

This tiny (about 1” in diameter) member of the cabbage family needs no formal introduction as it has become a highly recognized Main stream item. Showcased on menus ranging from quick meal dinners to white tablecloth establishments really speaks to the Brussel sprouts diversity of applications. Peal the individual layers (petals) for a unique raw presentation, cut in half and caramelize in a cast iron pan or deep fry for a pub style snack… the possibilities are endless.

Maine’s Own Caribou Russets

Item #21966
1/80 ct

Maine made. Maine grown. The Caribou Russet is a dual-purpose potato that delivers classic russet flavors while working well in both mashed and fried offerings. The Caribou russet is also hearty, producing high yields with greater blight resistance and mid-season maturity.

Rowe Orchards McIntosh Apples

Item #5646 / #26689
138 CT / 163 CT

Maine Grown: The McIntosh apple originated in Dundas County, Ontario and was introduced in 1836. McIntosh apples are crisp and somewhat firm with a mainly sweet taste. The McIntosh is the perfect all in one apple; great as a handheld snack, perfect for sauces, quick grilling, juicing and baking.

Power Slaw Blend

Item #11654
4/ 2 lb
From Mann’s

Mann’s Veggie Power Blend is a colorful blend of seven superfoods: golden beets, broccoli stalks, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, kale, radicchio and carrots. It offers unprecedented convenience to operators and can be utilized in a wide variety of applications, from appetizers and salads to sandwiches and entrees.

Baby Arugula

Item #26455
1/3 LB

Baby arugula is widely popular as a salad green. Arugula also commonly goes by the name “garden rocket” or “rocket salad”. The Oxford Companion to Italian Food, states that arugula at one time had a reputation for being a sexual stimulant. Either way, for prowess or just for taste, be sure to feature Baby Arugula on your Valentine’s Day menu! Simply put baby arugula has it all, looks, size and flavor. With it’s mild pepper after tones baby arugula is great for most salads, adding extra green color to a puree, or as a garnish with its petite leaf. Make your own salad mix by combining baby arugula with baby kale.

Leeks

Item #19477
3 count

Leeks are typically chopped into slices around 1/4 inch thick. They have a mild, onion-like taste. In its raw state, the vegetable is crunchy and firm. The edible portions of the leek are the white base of the leaves (above the roots and stem base), the light green parts, and to a lesser extent the dark green parts of the leaves. Waste not, want not… Use the tougher dark green tops in stocks, puree sauces or slice thin and slow cook with equal parts oil to make leek confit or melted leeks.

Baby Kale

Item #13439
1/3 lb

Kale is a member of the cabbage family and originated in the eastern Mediterranean where it has been cultivated for food since 2000 B.C. For most of the twentieth century, kale was primarily used in the United States for decorative purposes (in salad bars for example) it became more popular as an edible vegetable in the 90s due to its nutritional value and super-food status. Baby kale is a hearty baby green that, in salads, holds up to medium viscosity dressings. It’s awesome when mixed with baby arugula, or quickly wilt into pasta dishes or make a super-food smoothie using baby kale, Greek yogurt & granny smith apples.

Parsnips

Item #26472

A close relative to carrots and parsley with a distinctive look of a cream-colored carrot with the top leaves resembling that of flat leaf parsley. This tuberous vegetable is sometimes left in the soil over winter and harvested the following spring (“spring dug parsnips”) which adds great sweetness due to frost. Parsnips are suitable in many of the same preparations as carrots, but are exceptional when pureed, battered and used as winter fries or grilled adding a Smokey char.

King Oyster Mushrooms

Item #24978

King oyster mushrooms are the largest of the oyster mushroom family, unlike other oyster mushrooms, their stalks are not tough and woody, thus making them entirely edible. King oysters pair well with most seafood, steak, pork and poultry. Try browning King oysters in a mixture of butter and truffle oil…finish with a sprinkle of truffle salt and a few arugula leaves

Kumkquats

Item # 26484

The tiny citrus with immense character, or as I like to call them “the micro orange.” The exterior zest and pith of the Kumquats are the prize of this citrus, while the innards tend to be a bit sour and house large seeds; largely based on their overall micro size that is. This is not to say that the insides are inedible as they make a great simple syrup for use in sorbets or as a seasonal cocktail ingredient. The zest is great for marmalade, chutney, relish, candied or as an ice cream base.

Acorn Squash

Item #26466
1/40 lb

Orange fleshed squash with medium water content. This familiar winter squash is great for roasting and for use in purees. Culinary suggestion: Add unsalted butter, Greek yogurt, cream cheese or fresh herbs to really amp it up

Kabocha Squash

Item #21949
1/40 lb

Deep orange flesh with low water content. This Japanese variety of winter squash yields a sweet yet dense flesh much like that of a sweet potato with a flavor similar to that of a chestnut. Culinary suggestions: use as vegetable thickener in some sauces, and due to its low moisture content it makes a great creative catalyst for house made vegetable burgers.

Butternut Squash

Item #26339
1/40 lb

Yellow flesh with orange hues and a high moisture content. Even those folks who aren’t fans of squash will appreciate this delicious winter variety. Butternut is the perfect all-around squash; suitable for all cooking methods. Culinary suggestion: Roast and use as a soup, garnish with a drizzle of honey and goat cheese.

Delicata Squash

Item #15835
1/20 lb

Pale fleshed with a medium water content. This small-sized winter squash is ideal for stuffing and serving from “the shell.” Culinary suggestion: Cut in ½ and roast to medium, fill shell with saffron & herbed ricotta and top with Parmesan cheese, continue to bake and serve as a Deliricotta vegetarian offering

Rainbow Swiss Chard

Item #26430

Rainbow chard is Swiss chard that pops with color; red, yellow, pink and white among the more typical of the palette. Large, leafy greens with a some what thick and colorful stock making each leaf ideal for multiple applications. Add Chard to pasta dishes, use blanched leaves as a substitution for Nori (seaweed sheets), use chard stocks in place of celery in wing presentations or simply sauté with garlic as a side vegetable.

Rainbow Carrots

Item #11410
12/2 lb or 6/2 lb

Rainbow carrots are enjoyed around the world, including the Mediterranean and Asia, but they are still a relative novelty in the United States. Featuring subtle flavor variations and rich color these vibrant root veggies are a distinct way to add fresh appeal to your menu. Rainbow carrots add a colorful pop to all dishes using traditional carrots. Makes a great addition to house made giardiniera, crudités or as simple seared multi colored carrot medallions

Red Beets

Item #21880
1/5 lb

Beets can be boiled or steamed, peeled, and then eaten warm with or without butter as a delicacy; cooked, pickled, and then eaten cold as a condiment; or peeled, shredded raw, and then eaten as a salad. Beet juice can be used to intensify the color of sauces, desserts, jams and jellies and ice cream. Be adventurous and add beets to a brine for pickled eggs.

Tri-color Fingerling Potatoes

Item #10794
1/20 lb

Stubby and finger-shaped, fingerlings are potato varieties that naturally grow small and narrow. They are fully mature when harvested and should not be confused with new potatoes. Our Tri-color fingerling potatoes feature three of the world’s most popular varieties: the yellow-skinned Russian Banana, the pink-skinned and yellow fleshed French Fingerling, and the Purple Peruvian.

Candy Stripe Beets

Item #26703
1/25 lb

This variety of beet is named for the candy cane like stripped appearance, offering many colorful candy like layers when pealed and sliced. Candy Stripe Beets are great when shaved and used in raw preparations, pickled or used as a vegetable style carpaccio; visually stunning with flavor to match.

Peeled Black Garlic

Item #22541
1 lb

Black garlic is the product achieved from a natural fermentation that happens within a 4 week process of controlled heat and humidity, rendering the garlic black, sticky and sweet.  I like to refer to black garlic as Garlic Gummies; just like garlic candy. This high end product can be use in many preparations; both sweet & savory. Great for sauces, aioli, vinaigrettes, and even in ice cream. A little bit goes a long (awesome) way.

Micro Greens
Mixed

Item #9708
8oz

Microgreens are vegetable greens, smaller than “baby greens” that are harvested after sprouting as shoots. They are used as a visual and flavor component to enhance both the attractiveness and taste of dishes with their delicate textures and distinctive flavors. Micro greens are considered a specialty genre of greens that are good for garnishing salads, soups, plates, and sandwiches.

Micro Greens
Bull’s Blood

Item #15829
8oz

Micro Bull’s Blood greens are beetroot greens that are harvested after sproutnig and before they grow to the size of “baby greens”. Bull’s Blood has bright red stems topped with two elongated leaves. Their upper surface is a dusty green tinged in red while the underside is a light burgundy with deep magenta veining. Micro Bull’s Blood is tender and sweet with a distinct beet-like flavor.

Micro Greens
Cilantro

Item #21465
8oz

Cilantro, also known as Coriander or Chinese Parsley, is an annual herb. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking. Most people perceive the taste of cilantro leaves as a tart, lemon/lime taste. Cilantro micro greens have a sweet aroma and bold flavor. In contrast to full-size cilantro, micro cilantro is slightly peppery with a bit of grassiness. Use this delicate micro variety as a last second touch for grape tomato gazpacho, on ceviche, with shrimp cocktail or as a finishing touch for sea scallop crudo kissed with Maine sea salt and blood orange zest.

Micro Greens
Basil

Item #21947
8oz

Featuring a strong, pungent, often sweet smell; basil is a popular and versatile herb used in cuisines around the globe. Basil is most commonly used fresh in recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking can quickly degrade the flavor. Micro Basil is quite similar to full sized basil, with a slightly stronger flavor profile and delicate crunch. The greens resemble a “micro” version of a mature basil plant. Bruschetta of micro basil and grape tomato medley = wow factor!

Ken’s Compliments

A family-owned business producing some of the best sauces and dressings available to foodservice professionals today. Ken’s is the perfect, craveable compliment to your fresh salads and produce.

10 Tips for Managing Seasonal Menus

Seasonal ingredients and menu items have become more popular along with the local food movement, which goes right to the heart of the kind of sustainability commitment that today’s customers are looking for.

From the Chef

Award-winning chef Tim Labonte has joined Dennis Paper & Food Service in the newly established position of Corporate Chef… See what’s new from the test kitchen; from original recipes to foodie insights and more!

Recipes

Browse our recipe center with a “vegetable” search – highlighting recipes that will put some serious pop behind your produce. Follow the directions or deviate with your own signature touches!