Versatile Products Are Key for Mexican and Latin Restaurants During COVID-19

Mexican and Latin-themed restaurants in the pandemic era have to think fast, smart, and out of the box to thrive. More than ever, it has to pencil out to work. That means narrowing your menu to best-sellers and keeping a lid on the number of products you have to stock. To earn a place in your pantry, an ingredient needs to work across many menu items and dayparts.

This rings doubly true for frozen items. When the numbers really matter, and freezer space is at a premium, you need products that can multitask.

The good news is that Simplot’s broad portfolio offers products that shine across the menu—from appetizers to entrees, desserts to cocktails—bringing fresh flavor and color to a huge variety of Latin favorites while reducing expensive labor.

Read on for some new takes on staples that you can turn into crowd-pleasers:

Conquest^® Delivery+^® Fries: A canvas for something delicious

With the longest hold time in the industry—40+ minutes—these fries will wow you for dine-in, delivery and takeout. Here are three recipe ideas that take this wonder fry to the next level:

Elote Street Corn Fries
This all-star fry shines in a variety of menu-friendly ways. Jump on the Mexican street corn trend with Elote Street Corn Fries. Top Simplot Conquest^®; Delivery+^® Fries with RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Blend, ribbons of mayo, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and a dusting of Tajin (chile pepper, lime, and sea salt) seasoning for a hearty appetizer that can move to main dish with the addition of crumbled chorizo or taco meat.
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Pork Al Pastor Fries
RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Pineapple & Pepper Blend comes together with pork al pastor and a honey-chipotle citrus glaze to top Simplot Conquest^® Delivery+^® Fries to make a hearty, loaded fry dish that satisfies.
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Sabrosa Fries
Try Simplot Conquest^® Delivery+^® Fries tossed with chile pepper, lime, and sea salt, topped with fresh cilantro and served with a side of chipotle-lime dipping sauce.

Good Grains™ Cilantro Lime Rice & Flame-Roasted Vegetable Blend: The grain that becomes a main

Use this hearty rice and roasted vegetable blend to create soups, burritos, and the very popular grain bowls (pro tip: rice/grain bowls are up 89% over the past four years.1) A few ideas for this ready-to-go blend:

Chicken and Cilantro Lime Rice Soup
Build a rich chicken broth loaded with tender pulled chicken, sautéed mirepoix blend of diced onions, carrots and celery and Good Grains™ Cilantro Lime Rice & Flame-Roasted Vegetable Blend. Garnish with Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.

Zesty Cilantro Lime Burrito
Fill a soft flour tortilla with chorizo, eggs, Good Grains™ Cilantro Lime Rice & Flame-Roasted Vegetable Blend, shredded pepper jack cheese, and add a side of Pico de Gallo.
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Cilantro Lime Chicken Bowl
This trend has staying power. According to The Wall Street Journal, “The rise of the bowl...is starting to look less like a fleeting fashion and more like a lasting shift in manners, away from the old formal Western cuisine of plates, knives and forks.”2 Add a bowl to your menu with an effortless assembly of Simplot Good Grains™ Cilantro Lime Rice & Flame-Roasted Vegetable Blend, chicken, melted pepper jack cheese, spicy salsa and crispy fried tortilla strips.

RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Blend: Authentic roasted color and flavor without all the labor

This versatile blend brings consistent, flame-roasted flavor and appearance that elevates any dish. Even better, entrees served with roasted vegetables command a 34% higher average menu price vs. steamed vegetables.3 Here are three ways to bring this blend to your menu:

Corn & Jalapeño Queso Dip Mix RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Blend, (featuring white corn, roasted sweet corn, jalapeño, poblano peppers, cilantro and scallions) with creamy queso for an irresistible dip. 
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Mexican Street Corn To-go
Whip up a walking version of Mexican Street Corn with RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Blend sautéed with butter, topped with mayonnaise, Tajin seasoning, Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve warm in a convenient to-go cup.

Stacking Corn Cakes
Nix the boring cornbread sides with Stacking Corn Cake. These grilled brown cakes come together easily with RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Blend mixed with cornmeal batter. Stack these tasty cakes on a serving dish, and finish with crumbled spicy chorizo, crumbled Cotija cheese, salsa verde, and fresh cilantro.

RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Pineapple & Pepper Blend: A welcome combo of sweet, savory goodness

The sweetness of flame-roasted pineapple meets savory red and poblano peppers, spicy jalapeno, green onions, garlic and cilantro in this beautifully colored blend. It brings the high-end roasted look to your menu with very little effort. To prepare, simply thaw and serve, or heat on a flattop grill or sauté pan. Let this versatile frozen super star shine with these three recipes:

Jerk Shrimp Tacos
Pile corn or flour tortillas with spicy jerk shrimp, cabbage slaw, and RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Pineapple & Pepper Blend Finish the tacos with a drizzle of piña colada crema.

Pork Nachos with Pineapple & Pepper Salsa
Load up crispy tortilla chips with tender shredded pork RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Pineapple & Pepper Blend tossed with a spicy smoky chipotle sauce, melted pepper jack cheese, and fresh sliced jalapeños.
View Recipe ›

Summer Fruit Salsa
Mix RoastWorks^® Flame-Roasted Pineapple & Pepper Blend with fresh strawberries, diced mango and mint. Great as a topper for shrimp, grilled meat, or fish tacos.

In a time when we could all use a little spark, let us help. Bring new items to your menu, and tweak some old favorites to surprise and delight, for both you, and your customers. 

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¹ Datassential SNAP™, 2018
² Wall Street Journal “The Comfort of Bowl Food” July 13, 2018
³ Datassential, 2018