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Plating Meals Like a Pro!
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If you’re serving pork chops and mashed potatoes for a quick dinner, you might want to look at the color of your serving plate or notice the plate presentation. Very simple chef-like tips and tricks can make your dinner look and feel special. Today, we are sharing some easy ways to add a little artistic inspiration. We will be chatting with Chef Jenner Tomaska from Esme, a Michelin Star, fine- dining restaurant in Chicago. about combining a creative collaboration between the arts and food.
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April Recipes
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Tropical Rainbow Granita
Hidden under sweet pineapple ice crystals is a creamy surprise
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About the Recipe: If you wished for an easy recipe to prepare, that was low sugar and fun to serve, this fancy dessert is the one to try. It’s hard to believe that it can be made from one can of unsweetened pineapple with its 100% juice and a container of plain whipped cream cheese spread. The best part is that it lets everyone add their own flavorings or toppings. It’s amazing!
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Curry Spiced Butter Chicken
India inspired easy-to-make dinner is ready in 30 minutes
About the Recipe: When we interviewed Executive Chef Ambarish Lulay, he told me about his grandmother who made delicious butter chicken. This recipe is inspired by a classic dish from India. Using a prepared rotisserie chicken, it’s easy to prepare the rich and creamy curry flavored chicken; serve it with cooked rice, and add some fresh mixed superfood sprouts, dressed with fresh lemon juice. A delicious easy-to-prepare supper recipe!
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Spring Microgreens & Radish Salad
Super quick to prepare for two and full of healthy goodness
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About the Recipe: Spring radishes have a mild heat and great flavor. This salad combines microgreens that are packed with nutrition and mild peppery radishes. The dressing adds some crystallized ginger along with the citrus juices. It’s super easy to prepare and serve.
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Esme Restaurant – Chicago
Chef Jenner Tomaska and wife and partner Katrina Bravo opened a fine-dining restaurant, Esmé in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. With Esmé, French for “beloved,” Tomaska and Bravo reimagine the tasting- menu model with philanthropy and art integrated into the foundation of the experience, an expression of their shared vision for the community-focused restaurant. Esme Chicago is Rethink Certified.
Their menu evolves seasonally while collaborating with local artists and creative artisans. Even the décor and service pieces served at the restaurant are distinctive and reflect the various artists. Esme delivers a distinctive and immersive new experience found only in Chicago. Esme was recently awarded a Michelin Guide One Star rating after being only opened for 7 months.
Front entrance to Esme-Chicago restaurant in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
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Interior picture of Esme dining room.
Chef Jenner Tomaska is the Executive Director and Owner of Esme Restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. He is a twice named James Beard Foundation Award finalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year, and former Alinea Group’s Executive Chef of Next. Chef Jenner grew up in Chicago, started cooking young, working jobs at local restaurants. He attended Johnson and Wales, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Restaurant and Food Services Management
Photo Courtesy of Jenner Tomaska
Jenner Tomaska co-owner and Executive Chef of Esme
See More – Esme Restaurant Chicago
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Artist Inspired Recipes
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Blossoming Spring Green Salad
Serve with fresh lime dressing and colorful edible flowers
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About the Recipe Tender lettuce greens, cilantro leaves, and fresh chives are gently tossed with fresh lime vinaigrette dressing. Tucked into the side of the salad are ripe buttery avocado slices, adding a soft melt-away texture. The salad is dotted with edible flowers that provide layers of flavor, color, and aroma as well as new taste experiences. It’s a wonderful way to welcome spring.
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Crispy Golden Country Crackers
Sprinkle with your favorite seeds, salt, peppers, or grated cheese
About the Recipe: This recipe requires some preplanning since the dough needs to be chilled overnight before baking. It is easy to mix up the dough and rolling between parchment paper solves the rolling problems. The results are fantastic, creating crispy crackers that tempt you to eat a handful at a time. Have some fun with this recipe.
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Easy Caramelized Onion Mushroom Soup
Use an Instant Pot to prepare classic onion soup with tender mushrooms
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About the Recipe: Inspired by classic French onion soup, it’s topped with crusty toasted bread covered with bubbly Gruyère cheese. This recipe also adds sauteed fresh mushrooms for an earthy umami flavor. Place fresh microgreens on top of the melted cheese. This soup is a real double taste treat.
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Oven Roasted Beet & Carrot Swirled Hummus
An Eastern European favorite flavor combo
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About the Recipe: A favorite flavor combination in Eastern Europe combines beets and carrots in vegetable or salad dishes. This recipe lightly swirls together beet hummus and carrot hummus, capturing their mild charred flavors. The top is sprinkled with a few sesame and sunflower seeds. It makes a fun appetizer served with veggies or pita chips.
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Crispy Crusted Polenta Squares
Serve as a side dish or starter topped with crisp carrots and microgreens
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About the Recipe: Serve crispy polenta squares topped with a small salad of carrot curls, capers, and microgreens, lightly tossed with fresh lime dressing. The warm polenta and chilled greens are a delightful contrast of textures and flavors. Serve as a starter or side dish.
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Spring Asparagus Rotini with Basil Pesto
Fresh lemon juice brightens Italian pasta enhanced with tender asparagus
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About the Recipe: Combining pasta with fresh spring ingredients creates a bright flavored supper. The mushrooms add an earthy essence blended with the sauteed onions. Fresh lemon juice and sweet basil pesto add a spirited Italian accent. Add some cinnamon glazed pecans for a crunch surprise.
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Petite Crudites with Peppadew Dill Dip
French appetizer that is elegant and cool with a new creamy dill dip
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About the Recipe: This French appetizer includes an assortment of petite crisp, raw veggies with a creamy dill, red pepper dip. For a larger party, double the dip recipe. Any leftover dip can be used as a dressing on your favorite salad.
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Strawberry Rose Cupcakes
Berry jam and rose water infuse fragrant flavor into these gourmet cupcakes
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Cook’s Note on Our Prepared Recipe: I revised the recipe to make 10 larger muffin-like vanilla cupcakes, filled with strawberry rose jam and rose flower flavor. I ordered decorative muffin liners from Wilton that required more batter than the standard cupcake size. I used a double cupcake liner for each cupcake. When I served them, the liners expanded into attractive flower petals. The finished cupcakes were crisp crusted and had a poundcake texture. The thick dough kept the filling in the center of the cupcake. I thickened the cream cheese frosting slightly and dotted the frosting with drizzle dots of strawberry jam. Each of our cupcakes were topped with a fresh edible flower that I ordered from The Chef’s Garden. I stored our finished cupcakes in the refrigerator.
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Country Crescent Cookies
Meltaway buttery cookies with a trio of nutty flavorful seeds
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About the Recipe: One of my favorite cookies to make for birthday gifts or for the holidays is confectioners’ sugar crescent cookies. I decided to update the recipe adding some simple additions. The revised recipe has a rich buttery flavor, melt-away texture, and distinctive nutty flavor from a trio of crunchy seeds. It’s an easy recipe to prepare and makes everyday a special occasion.
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