ECH Christmas Board Meeting

The Leadership and Board of Trustees of ECH gathered last Thursday evening to share in the joy of the season as a team.  Of course every celebration includes food and we were happy to oblige.  

The dessert served with great response was a chocolate cremeaux with chocolate almond soil and Italian meringue.  Along with the Imported Cheese board and shrimp cocktail we served oysters on the half shell, stuffed mushrooms, coconut lobster skewers with mango chili sauce, flank steak with chimichurri sauce, and grilled salmon with horseradish cream and watercress puree. 

Autumn Abundance: Moorings Chef's Reserve Dinner

We themed our monthly chef's reserve dinner this late November around the abundance of fall food stuffs.  We hooked up with our Presbyterian Homes farmer buddy Tim Frillman and put together a menu around his late harvest.

We paired each course with European wines and had some rave reviews, especially with the match of the Cotes de Provence and turkey liver pate.

We have 10 residents already signed up for this month's dinner and are hoping for 2 more to fill our private dining room!

Here is the soiree in a detail: 

1^ST COURSE

TURKEY LIVER PATE WITH PERSIMMON MUSTARD AND SQUARES, TOASTED BREADS AND HOUSE MADE MINI CUCUMBER PICKLE

Cotes de Provence, France 2013

 2^ND COURSE

FREE FORM LASAGNA WITH ASSORTED AUTUMN MUSHROOMS, TRUFFLED MARSCAPONE CREAM, BROWN BUTTER, FRIED SAGE AND SHAVED WALNUT

Beaujolais Villages, France 2013

 INTERMEZZO

CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE SORBET WITH BUTTERMILK CUSTARD AND CANDIED ROSEMARY

Prosecco Cecilia Beretta, Italy 2013 

4^TH COURSE

CIDER BRINED DUCK BREAST PAN SEARED MEDIUM-RARE WITH A SAVORY BUTTERNUT SQUASH FLAN, BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND A MAPLE GASTRIQUE SAUCE

Cotes-du-Rhone Laurent Dublanc, France 2013 

5^TH COURSE

BOURBON ACORN SQUASH CHEESECAKE WITH GINGERSNAP-CHOCOLATE BROWNIE WAFER CRUST AND HOMEMADE CARDAMOM-HONEY ICE CREAM

Balatonboglari Merlot Semi Sweet, Hungary 2013

Silas Pinto

Executive Chef

Moorings of Arlington Heights

Organic and sustainable produce for Villa St Benedict

Today's harvest from the Green Earth Institute for Villa St. Benedict:

Pearl red & white Potatoes
Rutabaga
Watermelon Radish
Winter carrots
Arugula
Butternut squash
Garlic
Spanish onions
Sage
Red beets

Over 100 lbs of produce is grown and picked for Villa St Benedict. It is all USDA certified organic, local and sustainable.

From the website of The Green Earth Institute

The Green Earth Institute is a nonprofit organization established in 2002 to promote nutritional health and environmental sustainability. Using our organic farm as a demonstration and learning center, we grow healthful vegetables in an earth-friendly way and educate about nature, nutrition, and caring for the earth.

On our 60 acre farm located in south Naperville, Illinois, a suburb 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, we grow over 40 crops of nutritious, delicious organic vegetables, and sell them through our community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. For children we offer gardening and nature appreciation programs, and for adults we offer information and instruction about nutrition and environmentally sustainable practices for home, yard, and garden.  

Jeremy DeRango

Executive Chef

Villa St. Benedict

Fundraiser Tasting Menu at Villa St Benedict

Every year the sisters of Villa St. Benedict put on an fundraiser dinner.  This year we set out to make it better than last.  With the help of the Preshome chefs and dining room mangers, our event went off without a hitch.  We are already looking forward to next years event.  

Quinoa Crusted Tuna

Tri colored quinoa crusted ahi tuna served over a grilled kumato tomato, dressed with Thai basil-sesame vinaigrette, sautéed lobster mushrooms and crispy Spanish Chorizo

Roasted Beet Carpaccio

  Thin sliced golden beets served over a balsamic-fig reduction with goat cheese mousse, shaved apple and arugula

Intermezzo 

  Mango-ginger sorbet with licorice, frozen lychee foam 

Colorado Lamb Lolipop

  All natural rack of lamb chop resting with blue corn polenta, drizzled with Argentine chimichurri sauce, and fried leeks

Tres Dulces 

Vanilla bean and dulce de leche panna cotta with Florentine cookie, flourless chocolate cake with pisco-strawberry sauce and pumpkin churro 

Jeremy DeRango
Executive Chef
Villa St. Benedict

The Traveling Chefs at the Moorings

Butter-ccino from Rob Campbell

On the 13th of October we had the pleasure of celebrating the traveling chefs initiative at the Moorings of Arlington Heights.  The celebration was extra special due to it also being the 25th anniversary of the Moorings.  The event was located in the spacious recently renovated foyer. The chefs did a great job embracing the fall theme into their dishes and the event was enjoyed by all.

The featured chefs were from the following communities.

Andrew Koziol from Lieberman in Skokie- Apple cider donut holes with dulce de leche

Alan Miller from Weinberg in Deerfield- Roasted beet and goat cheese napoleon with balsamic caviar

Bart Stopyra from Felician Sisters in Chicago- Apple wood bacon wrapped figs

Ben Walanka from Lake Forest Place- Pear cider brined all natural pork belly with cranberry chutney and corn cake

 Robert Campbell from Westminster Place in Evanston- Butter-ccino a roasted butternut squash soup with truffle foam and pancetta chip

 Joe Martinez from James King Home in Evanson- His signature huckleberry mojito with mint infused syrup

Kevin Chlada the host- Homemade roasted duck and apple stuffed pumpkin ravioli with ginger creme 

Since we began the traveling chefs we have been constantly evolving the program.  This event at the Moorings really raised our standard and expectations we want to achieve from these events.

Thanks to everyone for their hard work and dedication. 

Christopher Moore

Regional Executive Chef-

Presbyterian Homes

Westminster Place

October Chef's Reserve Dinner at the Moorings

On October 22nd we explored the food and wines of South America at our monthly chef reserve-wine pairing dinner. The Courses were: 

Starter

Tri-colored quinoa crusted ahi tuna with sauteed forrest mushrooms, serrano ham chip, blistered cherry tomato and salsa verde 

SaladRoasted local golden and purple beets with goat cheese mousse, julianne apples, balsamic & fig reduction, toasted pumpkin seeds and micro greens 

Intermezzo

Mango sorbet with coconut foam, fried mint and kiwi 

Entree

Grass fed beef tenderloin served with Peruvian fondant and anna potatoes, braised local greens and chimichurri 

Dessert

Caramelized honey crisp apples and dulce de leche on a buttered sourdough crust with citrus pastry cream and coffee infused chocolate

Each course was paired with Argentine, Chilean and Peruvian wines. The meal was a success and an overall buzz-worthy event. We're really looking forward to our next dinner and have residents already making reservations.

Silas Pinto

Executive Chef

Moorings of Arlington Heights

Westminster's October Reserve Dinner "Chefs Roots"

Westminster's October reserve dinner was themed "Chef's Roots". The theme and menu for the dinner was based on my childhood. One of the main reasons that I am a chef today is because of my grandmother(3rd generation from Italy). The menu we served was a combination of items that our family has enjoyed throughout the years that she prepared. I have many fond memories of being in the kitchen with my "Nanna" helping her cook. 

Each course was paired with an Italian wine. We had 18 people attend the dinner, 4 of which were perspective residents that marketing had invited. A good time was had by all, and it was said that this dinner is one of the best we have done to date.  

 Executive Chef Rob Campbell 

Cocktail

Sgroppino

Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine), vodka, lemon sorbet, mint leaves

On Table

Olive oil, black pepper, parmigiano-reggiano, Italian bread

1^st Course

Charcuterie Board

Speck, Mocetta, Finochietta, capers, cornichons

2^nd Course

Fresh Pasta w/ gravy

House-made pasta tossed with family’s gravy

Intermezzo

Campari Sorbetto

Pink grapefruit, sugar, Campari, bitters

 3^rd Course

Coda alla Vaccinara

Braised oxtails, Morel infused polenta, crispy pancetta-kale, tomato oil

Dessert

Trio

Dark Chocolate Gelato, vanilla bean panna cotta, meringue cookie  

Rob Campbell
Executive Chef
Morrison Senior Living
Westminster Place

Down on the Farm

On Friday the 17th we had the pleasure of taking our chefs to Frillman Farms. We have developed a great relationship with farmer Tim Frillman that has enabled us to offer farm fresh ingredients to our residents and communities. Tim has contributed an array of heirloom varieties including, tomatoes, peppers, winter squash and onions.

Currently we are featuring tatsoi, red choy, white carrots, arugula and long of Naple squash on our menus. This was a great afternoon for our chefs to get down on the farm and have the connection with where their ingredients are produced. 

We thought it would be nice to do some cooking outdoors and to cook our host lunch.  So we grilled him a thick cut pork chop and topped it with one of his fresh daily eggs and served it with some potatoes and asparagus and cherry demi.

Christopher Moore

Regional Executive Chef-

Presbyterian Homes

Westminster Place

Pumpkins galore in new ways at WHC

The chefs at the Western Home Communities have been experimenting with a seasonal favorite for residents to enjoy on a weekly basis in October.  Pumpkin being the main ingredient, chefs have designed in particular one dish many residents were shocked and amazed with.  Pumpkin enchiladas (pictured) were a hit amongst many residents at Stanard Family Assisted Living.  It was great to be able to see their faces light up with these delicate dessert off from this Mexican favorite.  

The other was along the more traditional route of pumpkin bundt cake (pictured) which was served to the residents at Willowwood.  Conversations were a flutter at the dinner table among the residents about their favorite pumpkin desserts, and it was such a thrill to be able to hear the chatter in the dining room about the subject, with chefs getting new ideas to try and some to manipulate into something even more delicious.  

Amanda Lynch, Wellness Coordinator
Western Home Communities

Traveling Chefs at Lake Forest Place

On July 30th we continued our traveling chefs legacy at Lake Forest Place from 4:00-5:30. The menu focused on light Summertime bites served with samplings of white wine.

Chef Mark Kropelowski from Cardinal Stritch provided the perfect pre meal palate cleanser with a combination duo of chilled soups. Kumato gazpacho and potato-watercress topped with a golden beet chip.

Chef/DDS Ken Johnston from the Weinberg Community offered a spoon bay scallop and grilled corn ceviche topped with fried tortillas.

Chef Jose Tinoco hosting Lake Forest Place displayed a canapé of wonton with chorizo and queso fresco

Chef Joe Martinez from James King Home displayed an open face flank steak tamale with roasted vegetable salsa

Chef Chris Moore presented pan roasted duck breast with legume salad and jicama-apricot slaw

We had over a hundred guests and it was the perfect setting for pre dinner appetizers. We look forward to serving Cardinal Stritch next month.

Christopher Moore

Regional Executive Chef-

Presbyterian Homes

Reserve Dinner at James King Home

 

The Corn Stalk

 

Hard Cider Brined Pork Belly

All natural Six Point’s Farm brined pork belly, braised and pan seared served with watermelon carpaccio salad and sweet corn foam

 

Heirloom Tomato Terrine

Sliced heirloom tomatoes layered with olive oil and fresh mozzarella, complimented with fire roasted corn-red pepper vinaigrette and parmesan crostini

 

Bourbon BBQ Glazed Jumbo Shrimp

Jumbo shrimp served with fresh corn cake glazed with Bourbon infused BBQ sauce with smoky sweet potato puree and zucchini

 

Peach Charlotte Tart

Buttery peach tart with sweet corn ice cream

Garrett Cook

Director of Dining Services

James C. King Home/ Ten Twenty Grove

Celebrity Chef Bal Arneson visits ECH

Chef Bal Arneson visited The Episcopal Church Home last week to test some of her recipes with our residents and guests.  Starting with Lunch on Wednesday our Chef's Whim featured Chef Bal's Chicken and Quinoa Soup, Masala Beef Wrap with Dill Yogurt Sauce and Cucumber, Radish and Tomato Salad with Cumin Dressing.

Happy Hour was decorated with the bright vibrant colors of India with our own Nepalese staff outfitted in their native dress as they served our residents.  The items served at Happy Hour included: Beef and Pea Turnovers, Yam and Sweet Potato Turnovers, Mint and Mango Chutney, Cilantro and Coconut Dipping Sauces, Cauliflower Pakora, Spinach and Onion Pakora served up with a choice of Hot or Cold Chai Tea

Our evening meal featured the following Chef's Whim of Lentil, Brown Rice and Spinach Soup, Curry Chicken Masala, Fennel Rice with Assorted Mushrooms and Coriander Broccoli and Garlic Asparagus.

Thursday lunch featured a Chef's Whim of Beef Vegetable Soup, Chef Bal Ground Chicken Wrap with Kale Pesto Sauce, Ginger Beets with Shaved Fennel

Even our administrations most fussy eaters tried and really liked the options served!  For us, that is a big win!

Trisha Ohlsen, RD,LD  | Director of Dining Services | Episcopal Church Home