Cardinal Stritch hosts Cardinal Francis George

 
 
Each year in August, Cardinal Stritch hosts Cardinal Francis George and 30 area bishops for a five day retreat. We began a new tradition last year by presenting a traveling chefs event for their final dinner.
 
The evening begins with cocktails and appetizers in the library. This year Chef Jose Tinoco offered mini crab cakes sauteed to order and served with lemon-herb aioli. In addition, we served fresh antipasto skewers with housemade pesto-marinated ciliengini mozzarella, kalamata olives, teardrop tomatoes and balsamic reduction.
 
The group then moved to the dining room for a plated and served four course meal. The starter course this year was a salad of spring mix and baby spinach dressed in a housemade citrus vinaigrette with shaved fennel and bresaola sottofesa.
 
Second course was a seafood sampler consisting of a raw oyster with housemade sherry mignonette, a baked clam with garlic/lemon/herb stuffing, and mussels steamed in Stella Artois beer.
 
Lamb loin over sunchoke puree with lamb reduction and fresh chives was the entree.
 
Dessert consisted of chocolate mocha cake with fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream (all housemade from scratch.)

The Bishops very much enjoyed the meal and we received a hearty round of applause at its conclusion.

The staff at Cardinal Stritch would like to thank the Chefs that attended and helped prep, prepare, plate, and serve the meal - Bart Stoprya (Felician Sisters,) Kevin Chlada (King Home,) and Jose Tinoco (Lake Forest Place.)