Meals on Wheels Chicago fundraises with Celebrity Chef Ball

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Meals on Wheels Chicago (MOWC) delivers meals and helps with home modifications for Chicago seniors and individuals with disabilities. The organization is raising funds through one of Chicago's premier culinary events, the Celebrity Chef Ball. ABC 7's Hungry Hound reporter Steve Dolinsky and his wife, Amy, will be honored at the event for their work with the organization.

Kimberly Porritt, executive director at Meals on Wheels Chicago, and Cory Morris, chef de cuisine at Mercat a la Planxa, came into our ABC 7 Eyewitness News studio to tell us about the Celebrity Chef Ball, where Chef Morris will be part of the VIP Chef's Table.

2014 Celebrity Chef Ball

Friday, Nov. 7

6:30-10:30 p.m.: VIP Chef's Table

8:30-10:30 p.m.: Chef's Tasting Party SOLD OUT

Morgan Manufacturing

401 N Morgan St., Chicago

Tickets:

VIP: $350

Tasting Party: $150 SOLD OUT

Chef Morris' Recipes:

Paprika roasted pork leg with romesco

Ingredients:

8 skinless, bone-in pork legs (shank removed)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup smoked paprika

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Season pork with salt and pepper.

2. Mix mustard, rosemary, thyme, garlic, paprika, brown sugar and Worcestershire in a small bowl.

3. Spread all over pork, making sure that you get an even coat over the whole leg.

4. Place pork, fat side up, on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast, basting with pan juices about every hour and tenting with foil if pork browns too quickly. Do this until pork is well-browned and very tender, seven to eight hours or until fork tender.

5. Let pork rest at least 10 minutes before serving (the meat should pull apart easily).

Mercat a la planxa's romesco

Ingredients:

1 quart roasted tomato

2 quarts toasted almonds (finely chopped in a vita prep)

8 cloves roasted garlic

3 tablespoons honey

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup sherry vinegar

4 tablespoons salt

1/2 teaspoons chili flake

1 quart roasted red peppers

3 cups blended oil

Preparation:

1. Blend all ingredients in a robot coupe except the olive oil.

2. While the ingredients are mixing, slowly pour in the olive oil to emulsify.

3. Adjust seasoning if desired and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. Finished romesco with last seven days under proper refrigeration.