Recipe report: International favorites

As customers continue to seek out global flavors, operators are expanding their repertoire to more parts of the world, according to Technomic’s Flavor Consumer Trend Report, powered by Ignite. While guests enjoy exploring new ethnic tastes, they also like to return to more familiar international dishes. Here are five classics from Chinese, Greek, Italian, Mexican and French cuisines that remain favorites.

Collegiate Academy in the Union Public Schools in Tulsa, Okla., is a large high school—more than 100,000 square feet and eight stories—so dining needs to be decentralized, almost like what’s found on college campuses, according to Eli Huff, executive chef and culinary operations coordinator. Huff designed nine dining concepts, including an energy bar, a panini grill, and Mexican and Italian stations. One of the student favorites is the Asian concept, Wok Works, and its Orange Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry.

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At Michigan State University, a Greek salad turns into a light entree or small plate with the addition of a lamb skewer on top. The salad includes the traditional ingredients of cucumber, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, feta cheese and onion, drizzled with a creamy yogurt dressing spiced with cumin, mint and cayenne. The recipe makes a meaty addition to the salad bar.

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In Italy, cooks know how to make the most of shellfish by tossing it into pasta and rice preparations. At Baraonda restaurant in Atlanta, the kitchen cooks shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari in a garlicky sauce to combine with linguine for the restaurant’s take on a classic Italian dish.

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Mexican food in the U.S. has gotten much more specialized, as chefs experiment with unusual chilies, regional cooking styles and native ingredients that were previously unavailable. Chef Berryhill, originally from Texas and a pioneer in modern Southwestern cuisine, goes in a bold direction with these steak tacos. The smoky salsa gets its flavor from chipotles and roasted pistachios.

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French crepes are a versatile carrier that work equally well with sweet or savory fillings. On the Microsoft campus, they are featured in an indulgent fall dessert. Thin crepes are stuffed with cinnamon whipped cream and grilled apples, then plated with more whipped cream and apples, along with cranberries and honey-candied pecans.

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