MEREX FOOD CORP.
is proud to announce


"We created this extension to our popular Bon Campo brand to "mainstream" more specialty produce into the American diet," said Merex Founder, Dave Blumberg.

 

 

 

 

 





 

 

 








 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 











 

 

 

 







 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 




His approach is simple: "to get more Americans over their "fear factor" about vegetables they don't normally use by creating recipes so simple and tasty they become a regular feature at the dinner table."




"We are excited to have Chef Mathieu Frey create these recipes for us."




Now with the introduction of Bon Campo Trattoria, the company is embarking on a new wave of healthier eating by choosing vegetables that Americans tend to avoid because they don't know what to do with them.


Bon Campo pioneered imported specialty produce in the U.S. 20 years ago when it mainsteamed items once considered exotic -- like sundried tomatoes, porcini mushrooms, radicchio, baby potatoes and shallots--by educating the consumer with recipes on every package.






" I chose these items to start because while they are readily available, they are not always the first choice for Americans."


"I believe once they try my new recipes, these vegetables will become part of their regular cooking routine," said Chef Frey.

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 















For more information on what's new, check out Merex News Bites

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INTRODUCING

Celebrated Chef Mathieu Frey
and his New Recipes are Featured on
Every Package

Mathieu Frey is corporate chef for Merex Food Corp. Born in Alsace and trained in Europe, he achieved notoriety in the U. S. as Executive Chef of Special Events for renowned Chef Daniel Boulud, where he prepared meals for Presidents Carter, Clinton, Bush and numerous celebrities. Chef Frey created recipes for several 3-star chefs in Europe and was sous chef at New York’s Essex House Hotel.
Baby Peeled Carrots Peeled Shallots
Peeled Pearl Onions Peeled Cipolline
Cariofinni Fritti (Fried Artichokes) Leeks with Egg Appetizer
Pasta with Eggplant sauce Broccoli Rabe with Sausage
Braised Fennel Cold Fennel Salad
Persian Cucmber Salad Rutabaga Mashed Potatoes
Celery Root Bon Campo Bok Choy Minestrone

Baby Peeled Carrots
Ingredients:
1 package Bon Campo Trattoria Peeled Baby Carrots
1 Teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Dress up your plate with color, flavor and variety! Easy to prepare. Boil a quart of salted water. Add contents of package and cook for 4 minutes. Remove and toss with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil. Add salt to taste.

Chef's Tip: My Baby Carrots make an attractive crudite. Plunge into boiling water for 10 seconds. Cool under running water. Dry and serve with favorite dip.



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Peeled Shallots

Ingredients:
1 package Bon Campo Trattoria Peeled Shallots
2 Tablespoons Butter or extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Cut shallots in halves, place with 2 tablespoons of butter in a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to fold over and close. Roadt the "shallot envelope" in a preheated 425 F oven for 45 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve as an accompaniment to any fish or meat dish.

Chef's Tip: To serve cold in a salad (ie; nicoise) replace the butter with an equal amount of olive oil. Serve cold.

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Pearl Onion Sauce for Steak


Ingredients:
1 Package Bon Campo Trattoria Peeled Onions
1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine
1/2 Cup of Beef Stock
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

Cook contents of package in boiling salted water 10 - 12 minutes or until easily pierced. Remove from heat & drain. Heat 2 tbs. butter in 10-12" sauté pot. Sauté until golden (about 5 minutes). Add 1/2 cup dry red wine and reduce to half. Now add the 1/2 cup of beef stock, bring back to boil and reduce to half again.

Chef's Tip: Pearl onions vary in size. If any pearl onions are 3/4 inch or bigger please cut in half.

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Peeled Cipolline


Ingredients:
1 package Bon Campo Trattoria Peeled Cipolline
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Bay Leaf

Heat 2 tbs. olive oil in 10" sauté pan. Add contents of package and cook over medium heat until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes on each side). Add 1 cup checken stock, bring to boil. Add 1 bay leaf. Reduce heat and simmer until tender (about 12 minutes). Serve as a side dish.

Chef's Tip: Also serve as a topping for any green vegetable.

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Butternut Squash
& Sweet Potato Puree


Ingredients:
1 package Bon Campo Trattoria Peeled and Cubed Butternut Squash
5 Tablespoons Butter
1 Large Yam or Sweet Potato Peeled and Cut into 1" Cubes
1/2 Cup of Milk or Chicken Stock or Combination of Both
1 Finely Chopped Medium Onion
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg (optional)

Melt butter in a large sauté pan (min. 12") over low heat. Add the chopped onion and continue cooking on low heat until soft, about 15 minutes (do not brown). Add cubed yams or sweet potato and squash. Mix and cover and continue to cook until soft about 30 minutes. Add stock or milk, salt to taste and nutmeg is optional. Mash into a puree and serve warm.

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Carciofinni Fritti (Fried Baby Artichokes)
Ingredients:
1 package Bon Campo Trattoria Baby Artichokes
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges
Salt

Trim about 1/2 inch from top of artichoke and pull off outer leaves until about 1 to 1 1/4-inch in diameter choke remains. Do not cut off stalks. Instead peel off outer layer of the stalk. With fingers gently spread leaves outward into a flower shape, careful not to break leaves. Press gently onto hard surface to spread further. In large sauté pan, heat oil and place in choke flower face down, in one layer. Sauté on medium high. If choke falls over, carefully place upright using tongs. Sauté until golden. Then turn over on sides and fry until sides are golden brown. Remove from oil with tongs and drain on paper towels. Season with salt to taste and lemon wedges and serve as a first course or in an antipasto.
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Leeks with Egg Appetizer
Ingredients:
1 package Bon Campo Trattoria Leeks
Vinaigrette dressing
One egg
One sweet pickle, chopped

Cut off green stalks down to about one inch above white section. Boil in water for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Cut off root and slice in half lengthwise. Serve with your favorite vinaigrette.
Top cooked leeks with a lightly fried or preferably a poached egg then add 1T finely chopped pickle.
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Pasta with Eggplant Sauce
Ingredients:
1 package Bon Campo Trattoria Baby Eggplant
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 gloves garlic
1 large yellow onion
5 plum tomatoes

Cube eggplant. Do not peel. Sauté in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Add 3 chopped garlic cloves, one onion, chopped finely, and sauté with eggplant for 15 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for additional 5 minutes. Serve over favorite pasta. Serves 4.
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Broccoli Rabe with Sausage
Ingredients
1 head Bon Campo Trattoria Broccoli Rabe
1 lb. favorite sausage (veal and fennel sausage is one of our favorites)
4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
6 large garlic cloves
Hot red pepper flakes to taste
6 ripe plum tomatoes or 28-oz. can of plum tomatoes
1 lb. rigatoni
Parmesan cheese for grating

Wash broccoli rabe and trim. Boil entire head in large saucepan for about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels to avoid splatter during cooking. Meanwhile, cook sausage according to package directions. In 10-12-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil; slice garlic cloves and sauté in pan. Chop broccoli rabe and place in pan; Season with red pepper flakes. Sauté for 10 minutes: add chopped fresh plum tomatoes, add cooked sausage, and sauté additional 5 minutes. Cook rigatoni or favorite pasta according to package directions and top with broccoli rabe mixture. Serve with Parmesan cheese freshly grated over top. Serves 4.
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Braised Fennel
Ingredients
1 Package Bon Campo Trattoria Fennel
4 Tbs. butter
14 oz. canned or fresh beef stock
Pepper for seasoning


Wash, trim and cut the fennel bulbs into quarters. Place in a single layer in an oven-proof frying pan, dotting each fennel section with 1 T butter. Add one 14-oz. can of beef stock and a few pepper grindings. Place flying pan in a preheated 375-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and place on stovetop and boil remaining liquid until reduced to a thickened glaze. Serves 4 as a side dish.
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Cold Fennel Salad
A wonderful accompaniment to fresh fish or as part of an antipasto.

Ingredients:
1 Package Bon Campo Trattoria Fennel
Two and a half lemons
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Wash and trim fennel bulbs removing most of the leaves. In a 2-quart pot of boiling water add juice of two lemons and 1T salt. Add fennel bulbs, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. They are done when you can pierce them with a knife. Remove from pot, let cool; slice and serve with a sprinkling of extra virgin olive oil, salt and juice from the half lemon. Serves 4.
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Persian Cucumber Salad
These mini cucumbers are prized throughout the Mediterranean for their special crunchy sweetness.

Ingredients:
1 Package Bon Campo Trattoria Persian Cucumbers
1 pint (16 oz.) plain yogurt (not fat-free)
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
3 Tbs. lemon juice
3 Tbs. dried or fresh chopped mint
Salt & pepper to taste


Peel cucumbers and dice into approx. 1/2-inch pieces. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Serve as a salad course or as part of an antipasto.
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Rutabaga Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
1 Package Bon Campo Trattoria Rutabaga
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
6 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup of whole milk
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Add contents of package to boiling salted water. Boil softly for about 15 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and drain. Mash together with butter, milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

Chef's Tip: Rutabega makes a wonderful soup. Cook cubes until very tender. Mash, add checken stock to desired consistency, add salt, pepper, 1 tsp. curry.
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Celery Root Bon Campo
Ingredients
1 head Bon Campo Trattoria Celery Root
2 1/2 c. whole milk
3 Tbs. butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Peel, wash and cut celery root into 1/8-inch pieces. Place in 3-4 qt. saucepan with 2 c. whole milk; simmer one hour. Drain and reserve liquid. Place cooled celery root in food processor with additional 1/2-cup milk and about 1/2-cup liquid left from boiling. Blend until consistency of mashed potatoes. Fold in 3 T butter; salt and pepper to taste. You may add more liquid if you prefer a thinner consistency. Works well as a side dish for fresh fish or chicken. Serves 4.
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Bok Choy Minestrone
Ingredients:
One package Bon Campo Trattoria Bok Choy
One medium onion, minced
One clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. dried or fresh herbs mix of oregano, bay leaves, and thyme
12 oz. dark red kidney beans
28 oz. canned Italian plum tomatoes
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 oz. basil pesto used as topping

Heat oil in large saucepan; add onion, garlic, sauté until lightly browned; then add tomatoes with liquid, breaking them up with fork; add herbs, beans and bring soup to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Wash bok choy and slice in half lengthwise, then into two-inch long segments; add to minestrone mixture, cover and simmer another 20 minutes.Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese and pesto.
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