Chef's Coconut Curry

Last week we decided to try out a new dish and feature it on our calendar of events.  I've wanted to do a curry for a while but wasn't sure how it would be received.  We did a Thai style coconut chicken curry and it was well received.  We started small with the red curry paste and gradually got up to a cup and a half as we did not want it to be too hot for our residents.  This will be one of our staples now I know I have more adventurous residents.  Next month we will do a chicken tikka masala.

 

Christopher Moore | Morrison Community Living

Executive Chef | Westminster Place

 

 

Coconut Chicken Curry           

Blended oil                                                  .5 c

Sesame oil                                                   .5 c

Crimini mushrooms quartered                10 lbs

Thai basil chiffonade                                 ½ lb

Chicken Thighs boneless, diced               20 lb

Shallots                                                        3 C

Ginger Fresh                                               1 C

Garlic Fresh                                                1 C

Red Curry Paste                                         1.5 C

Red Peppers Diced                                     4 C

Coconut Milk                                              15 cans

Brown Sugar                                               ½ C

Corn Starch A/N

Chicken Base                                              ½ C

Cilantro, garnish

Procedure

1.  Sautee chicken in blended oil and sesame oil

2.  Add mushrooms, cook for 5-10 minutes

3.  Add aromatics

4.  Add curry paste, cook two minutes

5.  Add coconut milk, brown sugar, basil, chicken base

6.  Simmer for 20 minutes

7.  Thicken with slurry until the curry coats the back of a spoon

8.  Serve and garnish with cilantro

Surf and Turf at Cedars of Dexter

On Sunday evening, we had our 4th reserve dinner at the Cedars with a Post Valentine's Day /Surf and Turf theme. We hosted 24 guests for a 3 1/2 hour dinner  with 11 courses. The wait staff did an excellent job of setting up and breaking down the dining room, and as usual they were enjoyed greatly by the guests. The kitchen crew preformed flawlessly even though they were short one person due to illness.

mise-en-bouche 

Lobster Mushroom Beggar’s Purse with roast garlic, thyme cream and rutabaga puree

hors d'œuvre  

Shrimp Consommé with saffron Dover sole and chive quenelles
 

salade 

Frisee Arugula Salad With fried oysters and Louisiana caviar dressing
 

entrée 

Grilled Lobster Tail Lobster tail grilled and topped with snow crab meat, hollandaise  and tomato concasse
 

palate cleanser 

Raspberry Lime Sorbet
 

plat-principal 

Tenderloin of Beef Black Angus tenderloin with marrow toast, beef essence and a reduction of Chateau Grand Traverse Pinot Noir Reserve
 

fromage 

St Andre & Raclette with dried Michigan blueberry chutney and brioche
 

Dessert 

Strawberry Chocolate Tart Fresh Strawberries atop bittersweet chocolate custard and a mini tart shell
 

Coffee / Tea & Chocolate Uriel Solarte Coffee Great Lakes Coffee - Farmer Direct coffee  Colombia, Tacueyo, Toribio Cauca Don Uriel – Farmer / El Cadillal - Farm

Goji Berry Tea Earl Grey Bouquet Decaf Socra Tea - Detroit
 

Chocolate Truffles Champagne Chocolates – Mount Clemens, Michigan 

Caleb L Cook | Chef Director | Morrison Community Living  | The Cedars of Dexter

Beer and Food Pairing Showcases Culinary Delights

The Waters Restaurant Group collaborated with representatives from Fulton Brewing Company to present a spectacular beer and food pairing event at The Waters of Edina, Minnesota. Two dozen residents and guests enjoyed a presentation from Fulton's Ambassador at Large about the brewing process and were invited to sample four different brews and a ginger citrus craft soda. 

 The magic was in the elegant and delicious small plates Chef Gary and his team prepared and served to complement each style of beer. The residents had fun, with smiles all around, and the client was delighted.

Tina Plant | Sr. Marketing Manager | The Waters Restaurant Group

Diversity in Food at Oakwood

Our culinary team produced a spectacular Indian buffet lunch to delight our sales department and thirty guests from the local Asian Indian community. The lunch was a vegetarian event, the menu,samosas with tamarind sauce,eggplant and lentils,basmati rice with spinach,tandoori roasted vegetables, masoor dal with chic peas, nann and paratha. A seperate dessert buffet displayed pumpkin ice cream, pineapple upside down cake with candied ginger and gulab jamun. It was a great diversity lesson for those of us not familiar with Indian food and a great vegetarian treat for our Indian guests.

Pictured, tandoori roasted vegetables, gulab jamun with pomegranite and fennel tops.

Pearse Tormey

Regional Executive Chef

Cruise Week Dessert at Smith Crossing

This past week we had a captains dinner during our cruise week and this was a SHIPMATES DESSERT. A trio of coconut cookie, key lime cake and tropical mousse. Very tropical for a trip to the Panama canal.

Hand Battered Beer Battered at Smith Crossing

Here we are making our new item on our daily menu - Beer Battered Chicken. Can't you tell we are having fun?! It's a big production but the residents loved it so, I am sure we will do it again. We use the same batter recipe for the onion rings on our menu to save cost on those pre-made battered rings and they turn out so much better.

Nutrition News: Bruschetta Pasta at Smith Crossing

This is a picture of our NEW healthier restaurant menu item. A shrimp brushetta pasta with fresh basil, tomatoes, garlic and white wine. The residents are really going crazy for this. Last night we sold about 20 orders. The item was put onto our upcoming events page on our dessert brochure the last couple of days and it has definitely shown an impact on what we are selling and what events we do during the week.

Chef's Table at Villa St. Benedict

On the 19th we advertised a "chef's table" on our calendar of events which stated "Chef's Table featuring Rainbow Trout". As with many other promotions on these calendars, the room to elaborate on detail is just not there, which in my opinion gives us chefs the opportunity to be creative with that particular item you have featured. One of the fun and rewarding parts of our job is coming up with a dish that we haven't done before utilizing ingredients we already have in house, often times bits 'n' bats left over and having it be a winner. The dish I came up with was sesame seed encrusted trout, topped with pickled ginger-lime butter and salmon roe, paired with the Indian Harvest Jade Blend (Daikon Radish Seed, Split Garbanzos, and Jasmine Rice) and some sauteed asparagus tips with red peppers. We sold out of the additional special that night, and that gives me an idea of a new special or similar special I can feature in the dining room or on a new a la carte menu.

Yuletide at Four Seasons

YULETIDE

DEC 9TH

Passed Appetizers

Smoked Chicken Cornucopia

Crab Rangoon

Assorted Canapés

Tomato Bruschetta

Mesclun Salad

With Raspberries, Mandarin Oranges, Walnuts, Topped with Raspberry Dressing

New York Striploin with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

Jumbo Tempura Shrimp with Orange Glaze

Rosemary Yukon Gold Potatoes

Fresh Zucchini Boat

Crescent Roll

Dessert Selection

Crème Brulee Cheese Cake

(Regular and No Sugar Added)

Yulelog

(Regular and No Sugar Added)

Christmas Social at Central Baptist Village

The "Christmas Social" was held at Central Baptist Village on December 4th. The Vagabond Singers entertained & caroled throughout the room while residents and family/friends visited. Some of the decendent desserts made in house included: Pumpkin Panna-Cotta, Palmiers, Mint Mousse Cups, Hand-dipped Chocolate Pretzels, Hand-dipped White Chocolate Candy Canes, Peppermint Bark, and Cheesecake Bites.

Mike's Message: INNOVATION!!

The term innovate is a noun meaning "to renew or to change".

As our resident's expectations have evolved, our client expectations have also changed. To meet the higher level of expectations, we will not be successful by hanging on to the institutional service and delivery models of the past.  Not too long ago, it was enough to just get the job done properly. Today, the competitive advantage goes to those teams that are innovative.

A creative approach to managing our programs and services comes from a state of mind, not a checklist. Our whole regional team is focused on what we can do better. With that said, just doing something differently does not automatically mean that it is better. However, doing it better is very different.  This is exactly what our clients have hired us to do for them.

Chef on a Whim at Episcopal Church Home

Chef Tim Knight used leftover chicken breast to create Seasame Mango Chicken.



The Chef's Whim is set up to allow my team the chance to think outside the box and create specials, test new menu items, rework over production. The team is extremely motivated to create the Chef's Whim. It has turned into a contest as to who will have the coolest special, sold the most, etc.



Our residents are the ones who benefit the most. They love the Chefs Whim and can't wait to see what comes out of the kitchen the next day. Every day we photograph the dish and post them on digital sign boards placed in main areas of our building. So, our food has to look good before the resident even tastes it.

Holiday Fudge Sale at Smith Crossing

Holiday fudge was for sale for the residents and employees. This decadent holiday fudge was made by our chef’s for sale in the bistro to bring home for the holidays or to enjoy with friends and family. We did this sale the Wednesday before thanksgiving in our bistro.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/crispy-fudge/detail.aspx (This recipes is trademarked by Kellogg's)

Great Dessert Presentation at Central Baptist

Here are a few desserts done by our new Executive Chef Davis Knight here at Central Baptist Village. 

He is making everything from scratch and doing a wonderful job with plating/presentation.

Turkey Cheese Ball at Smith Crossing

One of the cooks at Smith Crossing made this Turkey Cheese Ball for the residents to enjoy at Happy Hour on the Friday before Thanksgiving. A great way to kick off the Thanksgiving festivities!

The Cookie Man at Episcopal Church Home

Each evening after supper our baker prepares plates of warm cookies and milk and tea to pass to our residents. Pictured here is Tyler Edlund one of the bakers. The baker goes door to door for all the independent feeding residents and leaves additional cookies at the nurse's desk for additional residents who need assistance with eating. When the bakers are doing recipe experiments they use this audience to try new fresh products. The residents love their "Cookie Man!"

Not Your Grandma's Beef Stew

When given a challenge the team the Episcopal Church Home always rises to the occasion! Chefs Tim Knight and Chad Board were given the challenge to create a new ( Innovative) way to serve traditional beef stew. Their solution was to roll out biscuit dough and bake it over a soup cup to create a vessel. We ran the  'New Stew' as our Chefs Whim for the day and sold 30 orders in an hour! Our residents loved the look as well as the taste.

Monterey Bay Aquarium at Episcopal Church Home

Executive Chef Darin Jarosz and Chef Tim Knight have found a cool new "App" on their smartphones. The Montery Bay Aquarium has an App for the Android and iPhone. The site has a seafood guide, a sushi guide, and the seafood to avoid, a good alternative, and the best choice to select for almost every fish in the sea! It's a great application and a helpful tool for our staff who have never seen fresh fish before.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_iPhone.aspx

Cedar Village Goes Retro

As a part of a marketing event to showcase Cedar Village’s new rehab center, the team transformed the community’s board room into a 1950’s soda shop. Guests were treated to root beer and coke floats, crème sodas, 1950’s era candy and special cookies make to look like records created by Chef Tracey. The team dressed the part to round out the event. The guests were amazed and a great time was enjoyed by all.

Dominican Sisters Plum & Almond Phyllo with Vanilla Anglaise, Pomegranate Honey