The Headline reads: Chef Marian Partners with Access Inc. to make kids 16-21 more self sufficient!
But it’s way more than that, to me. Access is a leader in community service and I have been lucky enough to connect with them through my good friend Art Kaliel and teach children ages 16-21 how to enjoy vegetables, fruits and how to spend funds cooking for themselves instead of just buying fast food. It’s about health. And it’s about helping them become self sufficient and heaven forbid (one day) learn a love for cooking that will open the door to a job in a restaurant! Yeeeaaah. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Here’s the company’s background (in case you would like to contribute)!
Access, Inc.’s Metro Youth Program is funded by the San Diego Workforce Partnership providing work readiness and employment options in a wide variety of activities to ensure that all youth have the skills and training they need to successfully make the transition to adulthood and careers.
Eligibility is open to qualified low-income residents who are a high school drop-out ages 16-21 years old residing in the Greater San Diego area, as well as the Lemon Grove, La Mesa, and National City communities.
Ok. So here’s what I taught today:
Lessons
Chopping: Garlic, Onion, Shallots, Chives
How to ‘sliver’ red onions
Lemon Pops the Flavor!
Cleaning Mushrooms
Peeling Broccoli
Demonstrate: Prosciutto
The Flowers of Broccoli
Rings
We tasted:
Veggie Sandwich, Parmesan Crusted Bread
Kale & Garlic
Stuffed Mushrooms
Broccoli
Well, as my reader, you don’t get everything. But you do get some….
Here we go… with the King of YUM! Everyone’s favorite!
Stuffed Mushrooms
Start with medium size baby bella or crimini mushrooms. Wipe down with damp paper towel (get dirt off). Scrape out the brown ‘gills’ inside. Grill Prosciutto. Put that and Panko Bread Crumbs into a food processor. WHIZZZ! Cook (caramelize) onions & shallots in olive oil using spray bottle to add very little oil. Add all to the food processor. Whizzz again! Stuff mushrooms. Top with grated Parmesan. Broil. EAT!
So what’s the trick?
There are actually two:
First, don’t run your mushrooms under water.
They absorb liquid. Any liquid you want them absorbing should have flavor!
And Second, firmly hold the mushroom and twist the stem, to remove the stem.
If you don’t do that, you can count on your mushroom breaking apart on ya!
Broccoli
You know it’s good for you. So you have to do whatever it takes, to make it really edible…. Like peeling the stem. Good idea? Less chewy? You bet!
Some people drown it in cheese sauce. If I go the ‘cheese’ route, I simply shred Parmesan on it while it’s still piping hot. There’s your flavor without all the fat!
For every day broccoli, use Garlic Salt and Garlic Pepper. Season boiling water. Skin broccoli. Boil 4 minutes until bright green and slightly softened (not until grey and mushy).
How do you know good broccoli in the store? These ‘flower’ buds need to be tight and small. If not, it’s old. Pass it by.
Veggie Sandwich
Spray olive oil, place shredded parmesan, then bread.
Press down with spatula or sometimes I even lay a plate on it, to make the cheese stick to the bread. .
Take up and put on a surface, cheese side down, soft side of bread up as the inside of your sandwich.
Layer slivered red onion, avocado and tomato.
Cut in half.
Add sweet potato fries cooking on the stove top in olive oil on medium heat. Lightly salt.
EAT!
Additional Lessons Learned:
- Always start with a hot pan.
- After heated, once cooking……. If you are making Parmesan Cheese bread one after another, you should turn your burner down to medium (gas cooktop only – with electric just move it off center).
- The key is to find your ‘rhythm’ and not remove something too early or too late from the stovetop (like when you are making bread or caramelizing onions).
- Turn your spatula the opposite way to retrieve your bread and not leave the cheese on the pan.
- Lemon pops the flavor. Experiment!
- What veggies are in the onion family? Red, White and Yellow onions, plus scallions, shallots and chives.
- Always salt your water…… especially when cooking vegetables and pasta (pasta you salt it like the ocean, veggies way less).
- Make things look fancier by using rings to cut circles out of bread and other items. You can use a can (the top) if you don’t have rings.
- Cooked garlic does not make you smell. Only raw garlic.
There are weekly classes starting soon…. and I will keep you as a reader, in the loop cause who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something too! lol
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian