- A new menu at Bistro Verde will be served from Oct. 28 through Dec. 4 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
- The menu features a variety of international dishes, including Japanese karaage, Roman gnocchi and Chicago’s chicken Vesuvio.
- Students will also create weekly three-course lunch menus and rotating American regional smashburgers.
This has been a fantastic semester so far. I am fortunate to have amazing students and a team to support them and myself. Thank you to the many of you who joined us for lunch and allowed the students to share their talents and learning experiences.
We are switching to the next menu, which features plated dishes that are a bit more upscale but still reasonably priced. Service begins Oct. 28 and runs through Dec. 4. We are open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will be closed the week of Thanksgiving.
This class focuses on more challenging techniques and timings. In addition to our regular menu, students take turns each week creating a three-course lunch menu that includes an appetizer, entree and dessert for $16.
Speaking of the regular menu, let’s talk about the appetizers. We are making a playful version of fried pickles and pimento cheese, served with sweet, pickled vegetables, a sweet and savory sauce and a dusting of Cajun spices. The second appetizer is a version of chili shrimp, one of my favorite Chinese dishes. From Japanese cuisine, we are making karaage, which is a very crispy chicken, served with a green onion and soy dipping sauce, sweet creamy slaw, fresh cucumber and lime. The final appetizer is an interpretation of an English breakfast — homemade English style bacon, sausage, soft boiled egg, mushroom and tomato tempura, English style baked beans and buttered toast. This dish is especially packed with a variety of cooking methods and timings.
For the soups on this menu, our first is a classic Manhattan clam chowder — the tomato-based version rather than cream. The second soup is Mulligatawny, an Indian coconut milk-based soup with curry spices, apples, lentils, carrots and potatoes topped with toasted cashews and green onions. The salad this time will have a creamy orange and vanilla dressing with dried figs, basil, burrata cheese, pickled carrots and fresh cucumber all on mixed greens topped with grilled chicken.
Of course, we are offering our rotating American regional smashburger choices: Oklahoma, Flapper, Carolina, Santa Fe Hatch and the Luther burger. Each of these burgers will be offered for one week respectively and can be enjoyed as a horseshoe if preferred. For grilled cheese, we are offering a “fajita” grilled cheese with grilled peppers, onion and tomatoes topped with pepperjack and mozzarella on sourdough served with a side of “taco” ranch and avocado salsa. For the fish sandwich, we coat a large cod filet with crispy coconut panko and serve it with pineapple chutney on a brioche bun.
For our pasta themed entrée, we are making Roman gnocchi, which is a rolled dough that is sliced and usually baked, but we are going to sauté it. It will be tossed in a ‘nduja and herb butter sauce with spinach, tomato shrimp, crab and crawfish tails. The grilled steak option for this menu is petit filet mignon, giving students another opportunity to butcher larger, expensive cuts of meat into individual steaks. They sous vide the steaks to ensure they are flavorful as well as perfectly cooked. Then they are finally finished on the grill. The steak is served with sauce Diane, a mushroom and cognac sauce, along with green beans and potato boulangère (caramelized onions and potatoes cook in beef broth). Lastly, they are making chicken Vesuvio, a Chicago dish of chicken in a white wine sauce with lemon and garlic, served with roasted potatoes and peas.
I tried to incorporate a variety of cooking methods and international flavors while helping students create delicious food to share with our guests at Bistro Verde. Don’t forget our delicious desserts. We are offering a version of Dubai chocolate as well as other fantastic options.
The culinary students are also preparing food for the LLCC Foundation’s gourmet dinner kit pick up, “Take and Create”. It is a five-course dinner with paired beverages on Nov. 7, 2025. To purchase, visit: https://llccfoundation.org/take-and-create. The menu includes a mushroom, onion and parmesan baklava appetizer (a flakey and savory version of the well-known pastry); a cauliflower soup with masala crumble, caramelized kale and micro cilantro; a salad of broccoli, asparagus, carrot, tomato, fennel, cabbage and greens with a “Caesar” vinaigrette topped with buttery croutons and parmesan cheese; for the entrée, slow-smoked brisket over roasted brussels sprouts and baby potatoes with a white wine, sweet onion and Dijon demi-glaze sauce; and banana split cannoli for dessert.
Manhattan clam chowder
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 2 cups clam juice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/8 t. white pepper
- 1 quart diced tomato
- 1 lb. clams, meat only
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Cook the bacon until crispy. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- Using the rendered bacon fat, add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook until tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste, turn the heat to low and cook until the tomato smell deepens.
- Add the white wine. Cook until the alcohol smell disappears.
- Add the thyme, bay, potatoes, clam juice, chicken stock, white pepper and diced tomatoes. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender.
- Season with salt and pepper while it is simmering. Remember, it takes 5 minutes for salt to fully affect the flavor, so take your time to avoid over seasoning.
- Add clam meat and heat until warm. Serve immediately, topped with chopped parsley and some of the reserved bacon that will need to be chopped finely.
- Enjoy!
Joshua Dineen is a chef specialist at Lincoln Land Community College.
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Hospitality and Culinary, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.
