At Brusco, we think every day should be #worldpizzaday, celebrating every base, topping and flavour. This delicious pizza recipe is vegetarian, uses ready-cooked vegetables and contains low levels of sodium.

Reducing Sodium Levels in Pizza

Pizza is one of the foods that regularly comes under fire when it comes to its salt/sodium content.

A large, 140-gram slice of store-bought, frozen pizza averages at around 765 mg of sodium, and depending on the brand/toppings can drastically exceed the recommended amount.

The reason behind this is that each of the essential pizza ingredients contains high levels of salt including the sauce, cheese, dough and additional cured meat toppings.

Smart Salt® is a 1:1 sodium replacement technology which can help reduce levels by up to 60% in several applications including those used in a pizza and other ready meals.

Research has shown that Smart Salt® not only helps lower sodium levels, but also replicates the taste, texture, and functionality of regular salt.

Reducing the levels of sodium with Smart Salt® in each step of pizza production will result in a lower-sodium pizza with the same great taste.

Ready Prepped and Easy to Create

All toppings used on this vegetarian pizza have been prepped and cooked, ready to use. This helps take a step out of the production process, reducing time, resources, and costs.

Our cooked vegetables and onions are stored ambient and come ready to eat. Delicious in flavour, cooked to perfection. No need to take time for slow cooking, caramelising or roasting.

Low Salt Pizza Recipe

Creates 4 delicious pizzas

• 700g flour
• 2 packets of dried yeast
• 1/5 teaspoons Smart Salt®
• 2 tablespoons olive 0il
• 1 teaspoon of Sugar
• 480-500ml lukewarm water

Tomato Sauce

• 1 tin tomatoes
• 1 tbsp cooked onion puree
• 1 tbsp garlic puree
• Small handful of basil
• 1 teaspoon Smart Salt®

If you don’t want to make your sauce, find premade pizza sauce here. 

Vegetarian Pizza Topping

• Cheese/vegan cheese
• Cooked Mediterranean vegetables
  • Courgettes
  • Peppers
  • Onions

Let’s Give it a Go!

1. In a large bowl add the warm water and sugar, sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5-10 minutes, stir to combine.
2. Add the olive oil, flour and salt to a separate bowl, slowly add the water. With a fork mix until the dough starts to come together.
3. On a lightly floured surface, remove dough from the bowl and knead until smooth and elastic (approx. 10 minutes)
4. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with cling film and a large clean kitchen towel. Leave in a warm draft-free area until doubled in bulk (approx. 2 hours)
5. Preheat your oven to 240 C. Punch dough down a few times and divide into 3-4 balls. Let dough rest for 20 minutes.
6. Place the dough on the pizza tray and form it into your desired shape. Tip: do not use a rolling pin as this will flatten the dough and affect its rise.
7. Spoon 2 – 3 tablespoons of the sauce on each pizza and add the vegetables, onions, and cheese
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbly!

Serve.

Talk to the team

Interested in our tomatoes, Smart Salt® and ready-cooked range? Talk to the team today and see how we can help reduce your sodium levels. Contact us at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

Soup is the ultimate winter treat providing comfort and warmth on the coldest of days. With plant-based foods being the trend of 2022, this Curried Butternut Squash Soup is the ultimate recipe.

VEGAN SOUP RECIPE

Flavourful and delicious, this easy vegan soup recipe is not only healthy, but it also uses vegan-friendly ingredients.

The creaminess comes from coconut milk and the flavours come from pre-chopped vegetables and powdered spices.

Prepared ingredients for quick and easy production

All ingredients provided by Brusco Food Group in this recipe are readily prepared. The garlic and onion are ready-pureed and cooked, and the ginger and curry flavourings are powdered.

Low Sodium Soup

Ready meals such as soups often come with a high salt content. By making the simple swap from regular salt to Smart Salt® we were able to keep the same great taste, but reduce the sodium levels for our customers.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients

Serves 2

• 400g butternut squash (1.5cm cubes)
• 400ml veggie stock
• 1 tablespoon curry powder    
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 tablespoon garlic puree
• 2 heaped pureed onion
• 100-150ml coconut milk

Garnish

• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped coriander
• 2 tablespoons crispy onions
• 3 tablespoons coconut cream
• 15g toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• Smart Salt®

Let’s give it a go!

1. Preheat your oven to 180c and spread the seeds onto a lined baking sheet drizzle over a little oil. Roast the seeds for 10-15 minutes then remove and set aside.
2. In a cold pan add 2 heaped tbsp of the pureed onions to a little oil and bring up to medium to low heat. Once this starts to sizzle, add in the curry powder, garlic, and ginger.
3. Mix and then add in the squash, toss in the spice and onions. Cook this for a further 5 minutes.
4. Add 400ml vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Season with Smart Salt® and pepper.
5. Once it reaches a boil, reduce it to a simmer, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the squash is cooked through. Once you have reached this point, blend to your desired consistency
6. Add the coconut milk and taste, and season if needed.
7. Garnish with the toasted seeds, crispy onions, coriander, and a drizzle of coconut cream.

TALK TO THE TEAM

Interested in our spices and ready-cooked range? Talk to the team today and see how we can help reduce production time and costs. Contact us at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

During the winter months, pasta is a go-to for many consumers. Comforting, warm and a quick dish for those who are constantly on the move. This romesco macaroni cheese takes the bold, fiery flavours of a traditional romesco sauce and the cheesy gooey nature of ‘mac n cheese.

How to Make a Romesco Sauce?

Traditionally, a romesco sauce is made from roasted tomatoes and bitxo peppers. As bitxo peppers aren’t always readily available, they are generally swapped out for sundried tomatoes. The sauce also includes delicious flavours such as garlic, almonds, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and olive oil for creaminess.

Bold, powerful and full of peppery flavour, this delicious sauce is perfect for vegan dishes, livening up cooked vegetables, on bread and flatbreads or as a dip for raw vegetables. You can also enjoy it with fish and meats such as chicken or steak.

Prepared Pastes and Sauces

To reduce production time, our red pepper paste and sundried tomato paste provide the perfect base for a romesco sauce. The tomatoes and peppers are blended and ready to be used.

This dish also uses our pre-roasted and pureed garlic, which is ready to eat and easily added to all dishes, hot and cold.

Romesco Macaroni Cheese Ingredients

• 4 tbsp red pepper paste
• 2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
• 200g grated mozzarella
• 200g grated cheddar
• 400g macaroni
• 2 tbsp garlic puree
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• handful of chopped parsley
• 60g sliced almonds
• Smart Salt®
• pepper
• olive oil

Let’s give it a go!

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/ 356°F.
2. Bring a pan full of water to a boil and add your macaroni (check the packet for instructions)
3. Add the red pepper paste to a med/hot pan and sprinkle in smoked paprika, pureed garlic, red wine vinegar, Smart Salt®, pepper, parsley and a splash of water.
4. Bubble on medium for a couple of minutes.
5. Add half of your grated mozzarella and half of your cheddar and cook on medium heat until melted (stir continuously).
6. Once the macaroni is cooked, add to the sauce, stirring it until covered. Add a splash of water if required.
7. Sprinkle remaining cheddar, mozzarella, flaked almonds, and breadcrumbs on top.
8. Place under a hot grill until the cheese is golden on top. Keep an eye on the almonds to make sure they don’t burn.
9. Serve

Talk to the team

Interested in our pastes, purees and sauces? Talk to the team today and see how we can help reduce production time and costs. Contact us at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

Our slow-cooked Chipotle Pulled Pork recipe is the ultimate year-round dish, whatever the weather. From BBQs on a hot sunny day to winter evenings. The addition of chipotle paste to this pulled pork recipe adds Mexican-style flavour to an American BBQ dish.

Delicious Pastes and Fantastic Flavours

To help reduce production time when creating this pulled pork recipe, we have used our range of pastes and purees.

The base of the flavour comes from our chipotle paste and sundried tomato paste, whilst the hint of garlic comes from our garlic puree. Our range of pastes and purees are not only time-saving, but they provide the same flavour every time and can help reduce costs. Quick, simple, with no preparation required.

Ingredients for your Chipotle Pulled Pork Recipe

• 1.2kg trimmed pork shoulder joint (weight after cutting away the rind – ask your butcher to do this)
• 2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
• 3 tbsp chipotle paste
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Let’s give it a go!

Mix sundried tomato paste, chipotle paste, honey and vinegar and cover the pork with the marinade for 24 hours in a covered bowl.

Add to the slow cooker and add a cup of water

Cover and slow cook for 8 – 10 hours on low.

Preheat your oven (to 200C) and roast the pork for 20-30 minutes until sticky and crisp on the outside

If the marinade mixture is watery, reduce until thick.

Shred the pork on a large plate and add it back to the marinade mixture.

Serve with coleslaw and a side of your choice.

Talk to the team

Interested in our pastes, purees and prepared ingredients? Talk to the team today and see how we can help reduce production time and costs. Contact us at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

Sweet, tangy and full of heat, this pineapple and ginger chutney will be the perfect side for your customer’s Christmas ham, festive treats and cheeseboard.

Ginger is the ultimate ingredient at Christmas, adding a little bit of spice to all things nice. It takes a simple sweet chutney and turns up the heat.

The mixture of sweet pineapple, spicy ginger and sharp apples offers a flavour for all the senses.

Prepared ingredients, ready to use

Using diced preserved and drained ginger, pre-cooked cooked onions, pineapple crush and dried chopped prunes, this recipe couldn’t be simpler!

Preserved and Drained Ginger Supplier

Our range of ginger comes in a variety of formats and dice sizes, ready to be used in several applications. Slowly cooked in syrup it’s fantastic when used in baking for cakes and biscuits, but also sauces and puddings.

Ingredients for your Pineapple and Ginger Chutney

• 500g Bramley apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 250g pineapple crush
• Preserved and drained ginger (finely chopped)
• 140g dried chopped prunes (ready to eat)
• 150g cooked caramelised red onion
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 350ml cider vinegar
• 50ml ginger ale
• 350g light muscovado sugar

Let’s give it a go!

Prepare your apples by peeling and finely chopping them into small chunks

Add to a large pan with the pineapple, ginger, prunes, vinegar, and ginger ale and season with salt.

Bring to a boil for 10 mins until the apples are softened.

Add sugar and onions (if not using pre-cooked onions, add at the same time as the apples and other ingredients)

Simmer for 20 – 30 mins until thickened

When a still hot, store it in a sterilised sealed container, this will last for around 6 months.

Talk to the team

Interested in our ginger and our other prepared ingredients? Talk to the team today and see how we can help reduce production time and costs. Contact us at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

Mulled wine is a must at Christmas. The ultimate beverage to sip by the fire or to warm your hands whilst you shop amongst the festive markets.

Everyone has their recipe, but the base of every good mulled wine is dry red wine and a spicy mix of cloves, star anise and cinnamon sticks.

Why not try a splash of ginger?

To add to the festive aromas of our festive mulled wine recipe, we have added ginger syrup, giving extra heat, spice and that unmistakable taste that ginger offers.

Using ginger syrup takes out the process of peeling, chopping and sieving when serving your cocktail, whilst maintaining that all-important flavour.  The syrup also offers added sweetness to your ginger mulled wine, which tastes delicious with the spices.

Bulk buy alcohol options

If you are looking to create a pre-mix for mulled wine or other RTD cocktails, bulk-buying alcohol can help save money during production.

Our team can discuss your requirements, from whether you need vegan and gluten-free options to exciting NPD recipes.

Ginger Mulled Wine Ingredients

• 1 large orange
• 1 bottle of dry red wine
• 50ml Spiced Rum
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of ginger syrup
• 2 whole cinnamon sticks
• 3-star anise
• 4 whole cloves

To garnish:

Cinnamon sticks, orange rounds or lemon peel

Let’s give it a go!

Cut your orange in half and slice the one half into rounds, placing it into a saucepan, along with the juice of the other half of the orange.

Pour in the wine along with the spiced rum and add a tablespoon of ginger syrup

Add all the spices and bring to a slight simmer

Once the mix starts to simmer, turn the heat down on low and continue to lightly simmer for around 10 minutes.

Taste the mixture and add another tablespoon of ginger and more spices if required.

Serve with your chosen garnishes for an extra festive flourish.

Talk to the team

Interested in our bulk buy alcohol, ginger and spices? Talk to the team today and see how we can add extra flavour and spice to your product. Contact us at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

This slow-cooked mustard and ginger gammon is the ultimate way to cook your next gammon joint. The meat stays juicy, whilst the ginger and mustard offer a delicious, spicy kick.

Readymade ginger syrup is the ‘not so secret ingredient’ to this recipe, reducing production time spent simmering from scratch.

This recipe can be served with chips and eggs, for a delicious weekday meal or as a main feature for a Christmas Day lunch.

Ready to use Chilled Egg Products

If you are looking to serve this recipe with eggs, we also offer ready-to-use, poached chilled eggs as part of our ingredients range. These come with a 42-day shelf life and have a runny yolk every time.

Mustard and Ginger Gammon Ingredients

2kg boneless gammon joint (smoked or unsmoked depending on your preference)
2l ginger beer
1 onion, quartered
2 clementines (or satsumas)
5 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp English mustard
4 tbsp ginger syrup

Let’s give it a try!

Place the gammon in the slow cooker on low and pour over the ginger beer
Add the onion, clementine, cloves, and bay leaves
Leave for 6 hours, topping up with boiling water if needed. The gammon should be fully submerged.
Take out and leave to rest and cool down
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees
Once cool, remove the rind off the gammon and score a cross pattern across the remaining fat
Mix the ginger syrup and mustard and brush half of the mixture onto the gammon
Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes
Brush over the rest of the mixture and proceed to roast for an additional 20 – 30 minutes. If it starts to catch or smoke, cover over with tin foil or a lid. Keep basting the joint with the juices and syrup as you go.
Rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving with your chosen sides.

Talk to the team

If you have any questions about our ginger, mustard or egg products, or would like to place an order, get in touch with the team at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

To many, Christmas food is all about tradition and taking time to eat, drink and be merry with their loved ones. To those in the food industry, we spend our festive months preparing for the following year, taking traditional Christmas foods and adapting recipes to suit the ever-changing palates of customers.

This ginger mince pie recipe enjoys the classic combination of dried fruits and crumbly pastry but adds in the contrasting heat of ginger and fruity, citrus flavours. Providing the ultimate combination for a truly festive treat.

What dried fruits to use in mince pies?

Originally mince pies were created using various minced meats, rather than the dried fruits we use today.

Dried fruit combinations are so important when creating the perfect mince pie. You have a delicious mix of sweet, warm, and citrus flavours that complement and balance each other out.

Traditionally, you would use currants, raisins, and sultanas but there are so many options to choose from. You could add a hint of caramel using dates, some sweet tartness with freeze dried cherries, cranberries and apricots or delicious heat with some ginger.

What alcohol to use in Mince Pies?

Alcohol is used to offer that distinctive hint of flavour that everyone loves about the mince pie.  Seasonal alcohols that work well in the mixture include rum, whisky, sloe gin, port, and brandy. Anything with a real boozy kick.

The alcohol used is reduced considerably, leaving very little spirit behind. Many mince pie brands found in retail use juices rather than alcohol, to be safe for young families. However, with so many boozy ice creams, cocktail sorbets, and alcohol-based desserts available, there is still a place for an alcohol-fused pie.

Within this recipe, we have used gin rather than the usual strong-flavoured alcohols, purely so we don’t mask the flavour of the ginger.

Ginger Chestnut Mince Pie Ingredients

• 100g raisins
• 100g sultanas
• 75g dates
• 75g dried apricots
• 100g currants
• 75g preserved and drained ginger
• 180g roasted chestnuts
• 85g mixed peel
• 200g vegetable suet
• 200g muscovado sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 200ml gin
• Shortcrust pastry

Let’s give it a go!

To make these ginger mince pies, soak the apricots, currants, raisins, and sultanas in gin until plump approx. 1hr, and drain (keeping rum to one side). Chop up the chestnuts to the same size as your fruit and mix all mincemeat ingredients (including mixed peel) together, before pouring in the fruit/gin combination. Keep covered for at least 24 hours.

If you are keeping your mincemeat for longer than 24 hours, add it to a sterilised jar when hot and seal it. The suet will rise to the top and keep the mincemeat fresh for longer.

Once ready, grease your muffin tins and roll out your pastry to the thickness of a pound coin.

Cut out 12 discs with a pastry cutter that is slightly bigger than your muffin tin and place in each hole. Generously fill your pastry with the mince meat mixture.

Cut out a further 12 discs slightly smaller than your first round and place them on top of your filling, pressing the edges with a fork to form a seal.

Beat an egg, and brush over the top of each pie. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut or muscovado sugar.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 20 – 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and then serve.

Delicious with rum butter, brandy butter or a dollop of cream.

Talk to the team

If you are interested in hearing more about how our dried fruits, spices and chestnuts can enhance your product, talk to the team today at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

The perfect winter risotto doesn’t exi… oh wait, it does! This Chestnut and Blue Cheese risotto is the ultimate winter indulgence.

The creamy, salty, stimulating flavour of the blue cheese works perfectly with the refreshing hit of parsley and the earthy flavour of the mushrooms.

Let’s add chestnuts

The addition of chestnuts to this recipe offers great texture and an added nutty flavour. Which breaks up the strength of the cheese oozing throughout the rice.

It goes to show chestnuts aren’t just for Christmas and offers so much more to recipes than only being used in stuffing mixes.

Prepared ingredients

Risottos are renowned for being time-consuming, they must be done low and slow to get the rice plump and texturally perfect.

Save yourself some time by making sure your other ingredients are prepared ahead of time. This dish has pre-caramelised onions, pre-roasted chestnuts, and pre-chopped mushrooms, saving you time and resources.

Chestnut and Blue Cheese Risotto Ingredients

Serves a generous portion for 2 people.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 50g butter (for cooking)
• 150g caramelised onion
• 200g risotto rice
• 200ml white wine
• 150g pre-cooked chopped chestnuts
• 50g mushrooms
• 1200ml vegetable stock (keep lightly simmering as you add)
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 100g butter, diced, to finish
• 150g creamy blue cheese, diced (Gorgonzola or St Agur are perfect for this dish)
• 100g parmesan, grated

To garnish:

• Parsley
• Fried wild mushrooms

Let’s give it a go!

• Heat the oil and the butter in a pan on medium heat
• Fry off the mushrooms until they are softened
• Add the rice and sauté until the grains start to open up
• Pour in the wine and stir continuously until the wine has evaporated
• Sprinkle in the chestnuts and the onions and mix in well
• Start adding in the stock slowly, one ladle at a time, making sure the moisture is absorbed before adding the next scoop
• Once the rice is cooked to your desired texture remove it from the heat
• Add most of the parsley (leaving some for garnishing)
• Stir in your butter and cheese
• Top with any remaining wild mushrooms, parmesan, and parsley

Talk to the team

If you are interested in hearing more about how chestnuts can enhance your product, talk to the team today at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.

Our friends over at Fat Mow Cooking are warming up our winter with this delicious parsnip and chestnut soup!

Not only do the chestnuts add flavour, but they also help thicken, creating a hearty dish, and keeping us nice and toasty until spring.

Gluten and dairy free

Although deliciously creamy, this soup has no dairy. It is also really healthy and low in fat on its own, so great as part of a healthy eating diet.

We have added all the naughties such as bacon and oil because it’s Christmas. But if you want to make this soup vegan friendly, feel free to leave off the crispy bacon.

Lunch preparation for the week

The soup will last you a few days and can be frozen. So it is the ideal lunch to prepare in advance, leaving you to enjoy healthy lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients for your Parsnip and Chestnut Soup

• 1 large parsnip
• 100g chestnuts
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• Few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 stock cube
• 1 pint of water

Season with:

• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg

Let’s give it a go!

1. Fry the onion until it’s soft and translucent, it’s best to do this on low heat.
2. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 5 mins.
3. Dice the parsnip and chop the chestnuts before adding them to the garlic and onion mixture
4. Sprinkle in your thyme.
5. Pour in your vegetable stock, stir and simmer until the parsnips are soft.
6. If the stock has reduced too much, top up with more water.
7. Blitz and season to taste!
8. Thin out with some water if the mixture starts to look too thick.
9. Top with crispy bacon, olive oil and thyme and serve with a chunky loaf of freshly made bread.

Interested in our chestnut ingredients?

For further information on dairy and gluten-free recipes, or to discuss our range of chestnut ingredients, talk to our team today. Contact us at 01386 761 555 or info@brusco.co.uk.