Silverado chef breaks the rules

As a 4-year-old growing up in Veracruz, Mexico, Edgar Cruz would pull a chair up to the stove and start cracking eggs for dinner. That early interest in meal prep never waned and in time his mother entrusted him with his grandmother's recipes.

Eleven years ago, Cruz, then 21, came to the United States and took culinary classes at the College of Lake County. That lead to jobs at Culver's, Portillo's, Bennigan's, Biaggi's and at two area health care facilities. In June he landed at Silverado Senior Living in Lake Zurich where he creates the menus and prepares meals for some 40 residents.

Cruz lives in Lake Zurich with his wife, Jen, and their Boston terrier, Chopstick.

Can you recall an early food memory? How did it influence your decision to become a chef? The earliest food memory I have was when I was about 4 years old. My mom usually worked and when I was home I would be hungry and instead of asking the gal she hired to help with the housework to make me food, I decided to climb on a chair and cook myself some eggs. From that moment on, I came to love that I could be in charge of the food I made and that I could make it exactly the way I wanted it without depending on someone doing it for me.

I spent a lot of time learning from my mom and my aunt, who owned a restaurant on the corner. From the experience I had helping them in the kitchen I was able to develop my own techniques as well as integrate what I learned from them. If I didn't like something about a recipe, I would experiment and try to make it better.

Eggs are still one of my favorite quick meals to make, especially since I can do so many things with them. A favorite way for me to prepare them is by adding black beans, or a chili paste, into scrambled eggs, and eating them on a piece of bread.

What is your culinary philosophy? My philosophy is simple, and, in most cases, true: When it comes to cooking there are no rules. Many people like to think that the only way to cook is by following a recipe by the letter. A recipe can easily be changed to fit your tastes.

Since everyone is different it is important to realize that a recipe is not worthless just because you dislike an ingredient in it. Often times there are excellent substitutions or even adding an item completely different. I don't want anyone or myself to be afraid to venture out of the recipe. Experiment! Try adding a dash or two of a favorite spice, or add texture by throwing in a favorite vegetable. Just follow what you know you like and the rest you will learn with experience.

What's the biggest challenge in cooking for older adults? Meeting their nutritional needs while offering foods they like that taste good.

What's the most-requested item on your menu? Chicken noodle and cream-based soups are the most requested. They are simple, yet bring good memories to the residents. Maybe it was a soup they cooked often for their families or their mother cooked for them. It is a comfort food and even in the summer they enjoy eating it. Cream-based soups I make the most are chicken and rice and broccoli cheese! My wife also loves them and when she comes to visit me at work she often tries a bowl and is sure to give me her approval!

Besides soups, one of the most frequent requests is for chicken potpie. No one can resist the flaky crust at the top. Another comfort food, they love the warmth of it as well. Perhaps it is again because it is an all-American dish that they once ate as children and prepared for their children, or had it prepared by their wives. It is another one of those warm dishes that they enjoy to eat year round!

Any particularly challenging days? At the time of the (2011) blizzard ... it was a huge challenge cooking for that many residents with only two hands, however I have had many years of experience cooking on the line at restaurants and fast-paced cooking of many different dishes comes as second nature to me now.

All of that experience also allows you an understanding of timing. When you have a battle plan, which items take the longest to cook, which require the most attention? When you can create a battle plan it is easier to keep a chaotic situation under control.

The residents did eat a little late that day, and did not have all of the options they were accustomed to but I made sure that their nutritional needs were met.

What is your favorite ingredient and how do you like to use it? I use garlic in just about everything but my breakfast cereal! I like to put it in as a whole piece in my soups as they cook, I then remove them before serving, or in water as I boil chicken for soups, enchiladas, tacos or anything else I boil chicken for. When I fry Milanesa, a thin breaded steak or chicken, and pork chops I throw in a couple pieces to add flavor to the food. I also love to mince it in guacamole, mashed potatoes, pasta sauces, tomato sauce and the sauce for enchiladas. There really are few recipes where I wouldn't use it in some form. It is a staple in my fridge at home.

Do you have a guilty pleasure food? I love flan in any form, home made or even packaged at the store. I usually just like the caramel flavor but have tried and enjoyed other flavors. I love the thick texture and sweet taste. It is something I have enjoyed since I was little. Though it is a simple dessert, it is a pleasant memory from childhood, though not connected to anything in particular.

What do you do in your spare time? I love to watch Lidia (Bastianich). Her cooking show has taught me many things. Though I do not get a chance to cook a lot of diverse Italian dishes, which she specializes in, I enjoy getting ideas from her.

For example, the other day I was going to remove the skin from a large piece of salmon. I do not cook fresh fish like that often, since nursing home budgets do not usually have room for such high cost items. However this particular day I was cooking salmon and was thinking that there had to be an easier way to remove the skin than sliding a knife underneath. Then I remembered back to an episode Lidia had about fish and she had mentioned that the easiest way to remove the skin was to use a dry towel to hold down the fish, and then you could peel off the skin cleanly like removing film from a window decal. It was so simple and removed cleanly and I had Lidia to thank for that!

I also enjoy watching Rick Bayless. Since I am from Mexico I enjoy seeing what twists he puts on the different dishes. And he is from Chicago making it more interesting.

When I am not watching cooking shows I really enjoy documentaries ranging from history, biographies, and animal planet. I love the educational aspect of it, I believe it is important to increase our knowledge any way we can

Outside of that I enjoy a good telenovela every once in a while. Movies are also a weakness. I love drama and action movies. My favorite movie of all time would have to be “The Godfather.”

Do you have a resolution for 2012? I want to take a baking and pastry course, it is something I have little experience with. Most restaurants I have worked for have used frozen, packaged desserts and boxed cakes and brownie mixes. There are so many things you can make from scratch that can even come out cheaper than the boxed version. I would love to use that knowledge to create some wonderful desserts for the residents.

Tell us about this recipe: Chicken Enchiladas. With the mercury dropping and party calendar heating up, a saucy recipe is certain to add a little zip to the table for football game days. Remove them from the oven as soon as they begin to brown.

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