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.)