We are so PROUD to announce that Cura Executive Chef Robert Grotha of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Aberdeen Heights (Kirkwood, MO) was awarded the GOLD medal at the American Culinary Federation’s FIRST Annual Senior Living Challenge for his dish Roast Fluke and Seafood Sausage with Farro “Risotto” served with Roasted Beets and a Beet Butter Sauce. Chef’s inspiration to working in senior living came from his childhood, when his family had to move his grandmother into a care facility. “It was not the greatest experience and since that day I have done what I can in every operation to present food with passion, quality, and care,” says Chef Robert.
Read more about Chef’s story and the preparation that highlights the star of this dish – Fluke!
Chef Robert’s story…
Food always has been something centralized in my life and the first time I had exposure to food in a Senior Living community was when we moved my grandmother into a care facility. It was not the greatest experience and since that day I have done what I can in every operation that I am at to try and present food with passion, quality, and care. Now that I find myself working in the Senior Living sector I try and embody that philosophy each day that I don the chef’s whites. I also have a background working food and beverage in the healthcare sector, so food is so much more than substance to me… I consider it medicine to fuel our bodies.
For this competition I wanted to present a roast fluke with seafood sausage, Farro “Risotto”, roasted beets, and a beet butter sauce. The star of this dish is the Fluke. I wanted to showcase two different preparations of the fish and really highlight the versatility of the protein. For the roast filet I added a small amount of fenugreek to give it a distinct floral component that adds to the complexity of the plate. With the trim left from the fabrication I utilized it to make a seafood sausage utilizing a fish Mousse recipe that pairs well with the other elements of the dish. By roasting the filet and poaching the seafood sausage I did not have to incorporate much other outside fat into the preparation.
I wanted to try and take some classical preparations and modify them to fit the dining room and the needs of my residents here at Aberdeen. By utilizing the farro in the risotto I was able to incorporate a nutrient dense ancient grain that is dense in fiber. I have followed the classic preparation but stirring quite often and letting the grain thicken the dish to cut down on the amount of fat (butter and cream) that goes into the dish. These fats are used as finishing elements of the risotto as opposed to one of the main elements.
I always enjoyed a classic “butter sauce” and this is the element of the dish that I utilized a lot of my “nutritional wiggle room” in to make sure it highlighted the other more health-conscious elements of the dish. The other main element is the beets that are used in the beurre Blanc, the cracker, the roasted beets, and the braised stems. This “superfood” gives quite a boost in cardiovascular, cognitive, and digestive health. All elements that my residents are very conscious of here at Aberdeen and I constantly look for ways to incorporate more of into their diets. I try and utilize a lot of acid, dried herbs, and fresh herbs as well to capitalize on flavors and reduce the amount of fats and salts throughout the dish. I believe that I have accomplished this with the different elements.
Experience the recipe here!
