Traditions of Hanover Chef/Dietary Director - Chris Luddeni

What are your all-time favorite main dish, sides and desserts to make for residents and why?  
Broiled flank steak with Sauce Robert
Sautéed zucchini in garlic wine butter
Duchess sweet potatoes piped on a pineapple ring

What makes a meal more appealing to older people with decreased appetites?
I choose entrees that are familiar to the generation I am serving and side them with what were the typical side dishes of the time. An example would be meatloaf with mashed potatoes, gravy and creamed corn. The meal works, meatloaf is a nostalgic favorite, the gravy can be a topping for the meatloaf and mashed potatoes, but the creamed corn can be a topping for the mashed to sweeten the meal and counter the meatloaf.

How do you ensure that your meals are nutritionally complete?
I pair the proteins with one starch and two vegetables along with fresh rolls to make a traditional balanced meal.

How do you modify recipes to make them healthier?
We use less sodium and fats in all our recipes than would normally be included.

What are the best substitutes for sugar, salt and foods high in saturated fats?
For salt, I use a zero-sodium seasoning blend
For fats, I omit as much as possible to maintain the foods consistency and substitute oils and milk with water and no-salt butter.
For sugar, I substitute with a sugar substitute such as Splenda

My favorite recipe?
My favorite recipe is a sauce (Sauce Robert) I started making back in the 80’s when I worked in restaurants.

Flank Steak
1/4 cups Blended Oil
Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Onion powder, Garlic Powder

Sauce Robert (roe bare)
2 kernels Minced Garlic
1/2 cup Minced White Onion
3/4lb. Sliced Silver Dollar Mushrooms
2 tablespoons Butter or Margarine
3 Tablespoons Flour
2 to 3 cups Water
1 tablespoon Dijon
½ teaspoon Dry Mustard

Directions
Marinate the London broil with the oil, kosher salt, black pepper, with onion powder and garlic powder for two to three days in the refrigerator.
The day you make it, I sear the meat then finish it in a 325’F oven until it reaches 135’F to 140’F. The meat will continue to cook another 5 degrees once it has been removed from the oven.

To make the sauce:
Sauté garlic, onions and mushrooms in butter/margarine.
Add flour and whip smooth.
Add water, dry mustard. Bring to a boil.
Turn to a simmer, and add Dijon.
Add salt and pepper to your preference.

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