Chicagoans can dine like diplomats on Thomas Jefferson’s stuffed capon, Jimmy Carter’s fried catfish or Bill Clinton’s wild mushroom risotto–without having to don tuxedos–at a special meal Saturday at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago’s (CHIC) cafe, 361 W. Chestnut St.
In honor of the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, CHIC has planned a Presidents Dinner for a special price of $19.96. It will feature entrees that have been served at state dinners hosted by President Clinton, and past Presidents Carter and Jefferson.
Chef-instructor Richard Cusick masterminded the four-course menu.
“Students who are graduating prepare this meal,” he explained. “It’s their final culinary class, and they’re really pumped up about it.”
The menu consists of a choice of appetizers, soup or salad, choice of three entrees, and dessert. Guests are welcome to bring their own wine, beer or beverage of choice. There’s no corkage fee, because mastering beverage service is part of the acquired skills of students who also staff the dining room and serve at the cafe’s weekly lunches, Saturday dinners and Sunday brunch.
“I planned the menu to use as many different cooking techniques as possible,” Cusick said. “The risotto calls for sauteing the mushrooms and the special risotto method for arborio rice. The stuffed capon requires roasting and stuffing skills, and the fried catfish, deep-frying.”
The student-chefs are faced with conditions much like those at a real restaurant. They arrive early to prep.
“I get here at 8:30 a.m. and leave around 10:30 p.m.,” says Pamela Douglas, who will graduate after this class. Students, like real line cooks, are faced with the head chef’s daily specials–in this case, Cusick’s three entrees.
“We have no time to study or practice,” says Douglas. “Just like a real restaurant, we’re expected to understand the recipe, know exactly what to do, and to be able to cook it perfectly.”
Judging by the last graduating class’ special Academy Awards dinner last spring, students’ skills are equal to the challenge.
“I ate at the Academy Awards dinner,” says Douglas, “it was delicious, and they deserved Oscars.”
For information and reservations for the 7:30 p.m. Presidents Dinner, call CHIC cafe, 312-944-2725.
THOMAS JEFFERSON’S STUFFED CAPON
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
Yield: 6 servings
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup whipping cream
3 cups finely chopped ham
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups cubed fresh bread
1 whole capon, about 5 pounds, rinsed, patted dry
1 tablespoon melted butter
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1/2 cup butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms; cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add wine; heat to a boil. Boil until reduced by half. Reduce heat to low. Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add cream, ham and parsley. Heat to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Season to taste; cool.
4. Toss bread cubes with cooled ham mixture, adding a small amount of broth or water if mixture seems dry. Season bird’s cavity with salt and pepper; stuff loosely. Brush outside of bird with melted butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place bird on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast until thermometer inserted in thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 1,025 Fat ………… 65.7 g Cholesterol …. 354 mg
Sodium ….. 1,393 mg Carbohydrates .. 12.3 g Protein …….. 90.7 g
JIMMY CARTER’S FRIED CATFISH
Soaking time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 7 minutes
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
4 catfish fillets, about 6 ounces each
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup each: milk, flour, bread crumbs, cornmeal
Vegetable oil for frying
1. Soak catfish in milk for one hour. Remove fish from milk and pat dry; reserve milk. Season fish with salt and pepper. Combine bread crumbs and cornmeal in a pie plate or other shallow dish, put flour in a separate dish and milk in a third dish. Coat catfish fillets in flour, shaking off excess flour, then dip fillets in reserved milk, coating both sides. Dip in cornmeal mixture, coating well.
2. Add vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2-inch to a large, deep skillet. When hot, add fish and cook over medium heat until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 324 Fat1 …………. 5.3 g Cholesterol … 86 mg
Sodium …… 128 mg Carbohydrates … 18.3 g Protein …… 26.9 g
BILL CLINTON’S WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/4 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped wild mushrooms such as shiitake, portobello or porcini
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup (1 ouncce) Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme or rosemary
1. Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 minutes.
2. Add wine and cook until most of wine is absorbed, about 1 minute. Turn heat to low and add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until almost all of broth is absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup broth and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Repeat until all broth has been added and absorbed, and rice is tender, 22 to 25 minutes.
3. Stir in Parmesan, salt, pepper and herbs and serve at once.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 362 Fat …………. 14.6 g Cholesterol … 36 mg
Sodium …… 625 mg Carbohydrates ….. 47 g Protein ……. 9.8 g
