By Gina Parisi, CRC, Contributing Editor
As the age of the U.S. population shifts, so does its taste for seafood. With the baby boomers becoming “empty nesters," they seem more daring with their food and flavor profiles. Since they no longer have to worry about feeding the entire family, they are willing to purchase and try seafood that is of a higher quality with a more-exotic flavor profile. Generation X and Y consumers have grown up with a broader palate and expect more than baked scrod or fish sticks.
Economic changes have affected when and where people enjoy seafood. The average seafood consumer may only eat seafood when dining out. But throughout these past few years, seafood consumers are dining out less and are preparing more meals at home. In turn, the consumer still wants to have that restaurant-quality meal, but they want it at home to save on meal expenses.
In that respect, the consumer can find more restaurant-quality seafood in retail today. Individually quick-frozen (IQF) fillets are now going into value-added fish products, moving beyond the basic square, rectangle or wedge portions that have been available for years. Larger-sized shrimp are being breaded and glazed so the consumer can have that restaurant experience at home. The breadings and batters now being developed are using ingredients that are less processed and higher in quality to improve the at-home eating experience.
Not only is this an advantage for home use, but since quality has improved and flavor profiles have expanded, these value-added items can also be used in foodservice. These types of items can assist in product consistency and ease of preparation. This can also aid in portion control and keep food costs from fluctuating. A fish fillet that comes into a restaurant already battered saves time and expense related to labor compared to one that has to be prepared from scratch in the back of the house. This is perfect for a small kitchen, quick-service restaurants (QSR) or kitchens that have less-experienced employees.
Ideas are unlimited when it comes to the types of products that can fit into the retail realm as well as foodservice. It just takes a creative mind to figure out how to develop the product and consumer interest to improve your chances for success.
The flavors to savor
Classic flavor profiles like lemon pepper and garlic butter still predominate. However, slight tweaks to traditional profiles can make a delicious impact. Grapefruit, lime, blood orange and tangerine are just a few different citrus ideas that can put a tasty, but consumer-comfortable twist on the never-fail lemon pepper. To kick up the conventional garlic butter, try adding some roasted herbs. Roasted thyme, rosemary or sage can really impact the flavor of the dish.
One flavor trend is sweet heat. Fruit and fish can really be an exquisite combination. Pineapple, mango, coconut and papaya go really well with seafood when paired with a little kick of a fresh jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne. Simple, sweet flavors, such as maple, brown sugar or honey, when combined with the spice of a smoked chile pepper, can be a hit on stronger-flavored seafood such as salmon or tuna.
Smoked and grilled flavor profiles are also becoming trendy on seafood. Seafood dishes smoked with cedar, mesquite and applewood seem to be all over restaurant menus these days. Adding ingredients like bacon or pancetta can also impart a smoky flavor to seafood.
Asian flavor profiles are still very popular with seafood. Dressed up or down, sweet and sour shrimp is still a big hit in most Asian restaurants. The biggest change with Asian profiles on seafood is that, instead of having a basic, nondescript flavor, ingredients are being showcased. Sesame ginger, Thai basil and Mongolian barbecue can give seafood an Asian flair.
Latin flavor profiles are also popular with seafood. Tortilla-crusted items are popping up on fine-dining and QSR menus, as well as in the frozen seafood section in grocery stores. Chili lime and mojito are other Latin flavor profiles that are emerging at the retail level.
Batter up
On the battered end of things, a lot of consumers are now looking for dual-purpose battered items. Not everyone has a deep-fat fryer in their home or in the back of the house, so it is a huge advantage to have a batter that comes out crispy from either the oven or the fryer. This is also an advantage for schools and health-care facilities, because there is no fat added during the cooking stage.
Beer-battered items are still a top choice. Foodservice and retail customers want real beer in their product, not just a batter with beer flavor added to it. Even though real beer is used in the batter, there is no need to be concerned about getting a little tipsy while enjoying this flavorful type of battered product since the alcohol in the beer will burn off during the pre-frying step in processing. Not only are customers looking for real beer, some want to see call-outs of the brand. Some of the name-brand beers advertised in battered seafood right now include Budweiser, Corona, Bass and Red Hook.
Tempura batter is on the rise in seafood applications. Primarily used on shrimp and vegetables, this batter is generally made with cold water (sometimes carbonated water is used to keep a light, airy texture), soft-wheat flour, eggs, corn starch and leavening (generally baking soda and baking powder). This type of batter has been a challenge to make commercially because, if it is mixed too long or gets too warm, the texture goes from fluffy and crispy to dense and chewy. However, some production facilities have figured out how to make this delicate batter on a large scale by modifying standard batter application processes and equipment, making it more accessible to restaurants and the home user. This type of batter is best reconstituted by deep-frying to assure the product keeps its crispness and doesn’t end up soft and soggy.
