This summer, the Furman Employee Wellness Program sponsored two cooking workshops for our employees and families. The workshops were led by Lori Nelsen (Furman Earth and Environmental Sciences) and Culinary Institute of American trained chef David Porras. Lori and David plan to open a new farm to table restaurant called Oak Hill Cafe on Poinsett Highway in 2018 featuring local and sustainable foods. They were gracious to serve us a sampling of their tasty cuisine. Here are a few recipes from their first workshop featuring “Farm to Table” foods. The menu focused on quick, easy, and inexpensive meals for the home cook.
Simple Curried Spinach and Chickpeas
Their first dish focused on plant-based proteins and had a delicious blend of seasonings that packed a ton of flavor. Leftovers would freeze well or make a great brown bag lunch.
Defrost 1 pound of frozen spinach and squeeze to remove most of the liquid. Rinse and drain a 15 oz. can of chickpeas. Warm a medium pot over medium heat. Saute a small minced onion in 1 Tbsp. of canola oil over medium heat until for about 5 minutes or golden brown. Meanwhile, combine the spice mixture in a small bowl: 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. ground coriander, 1/4 tsp. turmeric, 1/4 tsp. paprika. Stir the spice mixture into the sauteed onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas, one (11 oz) can of tomato sauce, and the thawed spinach. Simmer 5 minutes until heated through. Serve over brown rice and garnish with cilantro.
Nappa Cabbage Salad with Toasted almonds, Ramen noodles, Soy sauce vinaigrette, and Fresh mint
We love to experiment with unfamiliar vegetables in our FUEL cooking classes. This delicious salad was a new refreshing twist on Nappa Cabbage and Bok Choy. Both are very mild flavored Asian styles cabbages that can make your salads more exciting and nutrient packed (1).
Rinse and chop one large head of Nappa Cabbage or Bok Choy into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl. Coarsely chop or break apart a package of ramen noodles (omit the seasoning packet). Pour 1/2 cup of sliced almonds into a dry skillet and toast over medium low heat for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the almonds and a few ramen noodles to the salad. To make the dressing, whisk together 3/4 cup of vegetable oil, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 2 Tablespoons of sugar, and 1 Tbsp. soy sauce in a small bowl. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with fresh mint.
Panzanella Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Queso fresco, and Fresh Basil
Panzanella is a Tuscan bread salad made with toasted or day old crusty bread and flavored with the juice of tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and other fresh vegetables. It is a perfect way to use day old bread. Serve with a piece of baked chicken or fish for a complete meal.
Cut one pound of cherry tomatoes in half and place them in a colander set over a bowl. Season with 2 tsp. of kosher salt and set aside at room temperature to drain, tossing occasionally. Cut a 3/4 pound loaf of whole grain baguette into 1-inch cubes. Spread the cubes over a baking sheet at toast in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes until crunch and crisp; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread with the tomatoes, 1 large cucumber chopped into slices or cubes, 1 bunch of fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, freshly ground black pepper, and some Queso fresco cheese. Queso fresco cheese is a mild and slightly salty Mexican fresh cheese. If you can’t find it, substitute feta. Let the salad rest for 30 minutes before serving, tossing occasionally until the dressing is completely absorbed by bread.
Local Peaches with Vanilla Yogurt Granita, Lime zest, and Honey
A Granita is a Sicilian frozen dessert that is usually made from fresh fruit and water, blended and frozen until icy, flaked with a fork and frozen again. This clever variation uses the same technique with a carton of vanilla yogurt. It was my favorite dish of the entire workshop because it was so simple but packed a ton of fresh flavor.
Chop 1 pound of local peaches into bite sized pieces and place them in a medium sized glass or plastic bowl. Mix in a little bit of sugar and/or honey and let them sit for at least 20 minutes. This process is called maceration and will soften the peaches and create a sweet syrupy liquid. Next, make the simple homemade vanilla frozen yogurt. Pour one quart of non-fat or low-fat vanilla yogurt into a a glass Pyrex pie pan. Greek or traditional yogurt can be used. Place the dish in the freezer for 30 minutes, remove and scrape with a fork to make a granita. Repeat again 2-3 times until you reach a slushy yet creamy texture.
To serve, spoon some of the peaches into a bowl and top with some of the frozen yogurt granita. Drizzle with a touch of honey, fresh lime zest, and garnish with fresh mint.
Chef Porras also demonstrated how to make Huevos Rancheros, a Flank Steak Burrito, Thai Pork and Green Beans, and Creamy Eggs on Toast with Goat Cheese and Fresh Tomatoes. What a delicious feast!
If you are interested in attending future cooking workshops, be sure to email subscribe to this wellness blog so you will receive the latest updates delivered directly into your inbox. We sponsor cooking workshops for Furman students through the Furman Culinary Club and workshops for employees that are sponsored by the Furman Employee Wellness Program.
(Above) Chef Porras demonstrating to our two youngest participants how he uses every portion of a green bell pepper in his cuisine– even toasting the seeds to use for a garnish.