Key Ingredient was a multimedia cooking series produced by then-Reader staffer Julia Thiel and food writer/filmmaker Michael Gebert from 2010-2018 in which Chicago’s baddest chefs challenged their colleagues to redeem unusual, underappreciated, or often abhorrent ingredients by showcasing them in beautiful plated dishes that might or might not have been edible.
The ingredient: pickled eggs
Meanwhile, he had plenty to keep him busy. Virtue discontinued its curbside pickup and delivery business in late April and pivoted to preparing hot meals for nighttime medical residents at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Through a combination of the restaurant’s initial GoFundMe and a new First Responder Support Fund (that you’re invited to contribute to), along with renegotiations on the terms of his rent and (most of ) his vendor arrangements, Williams has been able to keep 6 to 15 of his employees working, depending on the orders of dishes, like roasted maple-glazed chicken with charred lemon broccoli or spaghetti marinara with zucchini and garlic bread, they need to get to the hospital each day. “There’s always some kind of full salad—not just lettuce in a box—and a chocolate chip cookie, or some other kind of sweet,” he says. “The mac and cheese is just warm enough so you don’t have to blow, but you don’t have to search for a microwave.” One less thing to worry about on a busy shift.
Who’s next: Brian Jupiter of Ina Mae’s Tavern, whose challenge is redeeming “dry-ass chicken breast” v
1 cup olive oil
Dice the pickled eggs, and place them in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil, folding it in gently with a rubber spatula.
