Pea tendrils and red beetroot are the most commonly requested microgreens when you’re reaching out to chefs. After that, it’s most likely a mix of microgreens.
They also use the arugula microgreen for its versatile flavor that is both sweet and savory, and micro buckwheat, which offers a nutty flavor with a citrus bite. Adding this peppery spice to your salads or smoothies not only provides them with a color garnish but a boost to your health too.
What Microgreens Do Restaurants Want?
Pea tendrils and pea shoots are in high demand due to their appearance, combined with subtle flavor and cost-effectiveness.
Radish microgreens offer a spicy flavor and come in various colors that chefs can use in a range of dishes, including Asian cuisine such as sushi.
Kale is considered one of the new superfoods, and for this reason, along with the fact that it’s packed with vitamin C, it maintains popularity among chefs.
What Do Restaurants Use Microgreens For?
Microgreens are the seedlings of vegetables that haven’t yet matured. They are often used in restaurants to dress up a plate and add more flavor to the dish; they contribute to the overall complexity of the dish.
Not only do microgreens provide color, flavor, and texture, but they also give a nutritional boost to a meal.
How Do Chefs Use Microgreens?
Chefs use microgreens for a variance of flavor and interest in their dishes. For example, a celery microgreen green will add a sharper, crisper flavor to a dish than its regular counterpart.
Chefs also use microgreens to balance out the taste, texture, and color of the surrounding dish. They can make a dish look more appealing while creating a superior taste. They can be used to lighten a dish that seems too dark or tastes too heavy. And, conversely, they can add robust flavors to a lighter meal.
What Microgreens Do Restaurants Want?
Restaurants like a rainbow mix of microgreens that they can use to garnish a plate.
Beyond mixtures, the most popular species are red-veined sorrel, cilantro, and arugula microgreens. Sweet alyssum, micro nasturtium, Mexican marigold, and pea tendrils are among the more unusual microgreens that are popular.
Is There Still A Market For Microgreens?
People’s attitudes towards food buying habits have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and microgreens have provided a sustainable option.
Microgreens help indirectly by protecting organs, strengthening one’s immune system, and assisting in developing a first-line defensive system against the virus.
As a result, consumer demand for microgreens has increased, and the market is likely to develop over the projection period. Additionally, chefs who incorporate microgreens as taste enhancers and colorful garnishes on their menus are driving the expansion of the microgreens business.
What Microgreens Are In High Demand?
Chefs require a vast array of microgreens depending on the current market demand, length of the growth cycle, and their recipe-based needs.
The saying “time is money” may be apt for chefs who require a consistent supply of microgreens. For this reason, they may desire microgreens that have a one to two-week growing cycle, such as arugula, corn, cress, kale, radish, or sunflower.
However, if the restaurants in your area fit a particular demographic, there may be a niche market that’s in high demand. For example, if there are a lot of Asian restaurants, then bok choy greens may be in high demand in that area.
What Do Chefs Pay For Microgreens?
Generally, chefs are willing to pay between $7 and $15 per ounce of microgreens. However, chefs will pay a premium price for high-quality microgreens or those which are hard to source.
Many different factors affect the price a chef or restaurant is willing to pay for microgreens.
First and foremost, the green has to look and taste good so that consumers return for more. And chefs are looking for consistency in this quality as well as on-time deliveries.
Another consideration for chefs is the product’s shelf-life; a long shelf life means less waste and maximum yield for the cost.
Finally, chefs consider the price per dish. They’d be more likely to spend $15 on an ounce of microgreens that will cater to 20 dishes, rather than an ounce of microgreens that will only cater to two dishes.
How Do You Cook With Microgreens?
Microgreens are a great addition to soups, stews, salads, potato dishes, pasta dishes, and many other dishes for a kick of flavor and an added texture.
Additionally, microgreens such as mint, basil, or sage can add a fresh flavor to cocktails and mocktails.
The addition of different flavors can enhance the taste of some microgreens. For example, kale can have a bitter aftertaste, tempered by massaging lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or dried fruit into its leaves.
What Is The Best Way To Eat Microgreens?
There are a multitude of ways to incorporate microgreens into dishes. Some of the most popular include salads and sandwiches; this may be because using the microgreens raw keeps them crisp and fresh and carefully preserves the unique flavor of the green.
Additionally, microgreens are a great addition to stir fry, added at the last minute to retain a large number of their raw qualities while bringing fresh flavors to a hot dish.
In the end, imagination is the only limit when it comes to microgreens. You can add them to pretty much anything; smoothies, quiches, and even summer berry pies!
How Are Microgreens Used In Indian Cookery?
Microgreen variants utilized in Indian cuisine include fenugreek – methi, mustard, wheatgrass, coriander, Bengal gramme, and mung bean. Indian chefs love to use these microgreens since they grow quickly and have a nice flavor.
In Indian cuisine, bathua raita is well-known. The addition of microgreens, either finely chopped or whole, to give crunch to the raita. The greens will also provide a touch of freshness to the dish and make it more presentable.
Coriander, fava beans, radish, fenugreek, mustard, chickpea, lettuce, kale, basil, cilantro, beetroot, baby spinach, pea shoots, and mung bean are the most commonly used ingredients in Indian cuisine.
How Are Microgreens Used In Asian Cookery?
Micro Tatsoi is a common ingredient in both European and Asian cuisines. It belongs to the broccoli family and is dark green. Salads and sandwiches work great with it. It has a flavor that is similar to mustard greens.
The Daikon Radish, which comes in purple or green, is another Asian microgreen. The vegetable has a crisp texture and a peppery flavor that can truly brighten up salads or side dishes.
