Now’s the time to catch a wellness wave. If you’re in a seafood menu rut, look no further for inspiration on getting guests to crave what’s good for them, from teriyaki salmon bowls to Cali-style cod burgers, succulent halibut steaks and more.
When it comes to boosting heart health, brain function and immunity, seafood is hard to beat. Making it craveable for customers who may be used to fish and chips? That’s the big catch. But chefs are doing amazing things with the newest seafood menus…finding ways to incorporate trendy flavors and formats (hello, teriyaki salmon bowls!) and pairing cool global flavors with nutrient-packed pieces of fish.
Bold flavors are making waves on menus, and even methods like char siu (Chinese barbecue) can be applied to fish. A steakhouse plate with halibut at the center? Why, yes. And how about all the crunchy elements you can add to a salad or sandwich with pepiptas, toasted breadcrumbs and edamame?
Catch a wave into healthy seafood bliss with these menu inspirations, recipes and ideas.
1. Cali cod burger
New to Sodexo’s Mindful lineup, the Cali-cod burger features tartar sauce made with plain yogurt instead of mayo and avocados for heart-healthy creaminess.
2. Sriracha-lime salmon sandwiches
Morrison Health’s Chef Jeffrey Quasha is incorporating seafood into casual, grab-and-go-able options like these brunch-time (or anytime) sammies. Check out FM’s On Demand video < segment with Quasha getting into more detail about menuing seafood.
3. Teryiaki salmon bowl
Bowls are the trend that keeps on giving. Not only portable, they’re a great vehicle to load up with healthy stuff, as in this bowl from Morrison Health’s seafood lineup.
4. So ono
Morrison Health’s Onolicious Hawaiian pop-up concept featured a sweet and spicy garlic mahi bowl with roasted mahi over fragrant jasmine rice, mango-cilantro slaw, toasted sesame seeds and fresh scallions. (Ono means delicious).
5. At Stony Brook University, education and seafood went hand-in-fin when
Chef/fisherman/aquaculture evangelist Barton Seaver created a special sustainable seafood menu, which included tomato gazpacho with smoked mussels, bluefish with soy-citrus marinade and basil quinoa pesto and smoked salmon carpaccio with shaved fennel salad.
6. Steaks can be seafood, too
When you imagine a steak, it’s usually beef. But halibut is a firm fish that makes a great steak, as in these pan-seared Alaska halibut steaks with cherry tomatoes and basil—a great way to use those odds and ends from a late-season garden.
7. Char siu isn’t just for pork
Char siu, a spicy Cantonese way to barbecue pork, works great with salmon. Chef Jeremy Bringardner’s Alaska salmon char siu with broccolini and crispy rice really steals the show, and black rice adds a touch of the unexpected.
8. Citrus is fish’s best friend
In another recipe from Bringardner, cod is the star of the show, getting major zing from citrus, avocado, jicama and fresno chiles Pepitas add crunch, a good element to use when working with softer elements like fish and avocados.
9. Avocado toast but make it seafood
Salmon cured with beets results in a vibrant ruby red color as an avocado toast topper. Kale salsa verde amps things up even more in this recipe.
10. Stockfish goes to Italy
Norwegian stockfish is paired with Italian herbs, toasted breadcrumbs and broccoli in this recipe created by Chef Andrea Vigna for Seafood from Norway.