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Collective Kitchen

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Cooking with Chef Andree from C’est Bon Cooking

Chef Andree TeachingIt’s no secret that Youville Centre’s Collective Kitchen classes are among our most popular credit-worthy lifestyle programs. A component of our  “A Leader in Your Own Life” course, Collective Kitchen allows our young moms a chance to learn how to cook affordable, healthy meals for themselves and their children. We also factor in the items our clients are grateful to receive from the Ottawa Food Bank, for example: bread, canned foods and eggs.

Cooking an omeletteRecently we had a guest chef come in to teach our young moms a couple of tasty recipes. Chef Andree Riffou of C’est Bon Cooking was our special guest, and she taught our students how to cook an omelette, and french onion soup, showing them some helpful techniques that resulted in a tasty lunch!

cracking eggs

Deglazing the panShe taught Youville’s moms how to carmelize onions, deglaze a pan, use proper knife skills and make a perfect omelette!

Butter

flipping the omelette

French onion soup

OmeletteThank you, Chef Andree for sharing your talents with Youville Centre’s moms. We are grateful for your support and your generous donations!

Chef Andree was gracious enough to share these recipes with all of you who are reading this blog as well! Have fun in the kitchen!

French Onion Soup
Makes 4 servings

1 tbsp (15 g) butter + a bit of vegetable oil
5 cups (450 g) onions, sliced thinly
3 cups (750 ml) water or broth or wine
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Garnish
4 slices (100 g) French bread
¼ cup (40 g) Gruyère cheese, grated

Instructions:

1.    Add butter and a bit of oil to a frying pan.
2.    Add onions and caramelize them for at least 20-25 minutes, it may be as long as one hour.
3.    Add liquid (could be 2/3 red wine if you were in burgundy mixed with 1/3 veal stock).
4.    Add salt and pepper and 1 bay leaf.
5.    Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately one hour.
6.    Slice French baguette and toast in the oven at 375°.
7.    Season to taste.

To Serve:
1.    Fill ¾ of each bowl with some soup and place bread on top.
2.    Add shredded cheese to each bowl.
3.    Set bowls on cookie sheet and broil until cheese is golden brown and soup is bubbling around the edges.
Cheese Omelet
Serves 1

3 Eggs
2 TBSP Butter
1 Shallot, thinly sliced
4 TBSP Cheese, grated (cheddar, gruyere or goat cheese)
2 TSP Parsley
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
1.    Add butter to a heated skillet. Sauté shallots and set aside.
2.    In a bowl, beat eggs. Add shallots, parsley, ham and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
3.    In the meantime, in a non-stick sauté pan, heat butter. Pour in egg mix.
4.    Let eggs set in the pan. Using a spatula, lift edges and tilt sauté pan, until uncooked egg-mix portion flows underneath.
5.    Using spatula, fold the other portion over top.
6.    Serve omelet upside down.
www.cestboncooking.ca

DiVino Chefs Visit Youville Centre

Today was a special day at Youville Centre, as the students in our Collective Kitchen Class were instructed and inspired by two female culinary professionals from DiVino Wine Studio. Cooking Instructor/Event Manager Larissa Beznaczuk-Smyrnew and Chef Jessica Hendren showed our students how to cook a simple, delicious and healthy one-pot meal to serve at home.

 

It is our goal through Collective Kitchen to provide nutritious recipes that are easy and affordable for our young moms and their children. For under $100, Jessica and Larissa were able to show our students a tasty and healthy meal that resulted in 15-20 servings. By following the recipe below, our students can now create this meal at home and still have leftovers available.

The dish was a Chicken Curry Pot, and while learning how to make it, the students also learned all about exotic ingredients such as coconut milk, curry, cilantro and bok choy. Jessica and Larissa were also able to give our students a glimpse of the culinary world from a career perspective by sharing their unique success stories.

Many thanks to Larissa and Jessica, and to the entire team at DiVino Wine Studio  for lending us these talented young women this morning! Youville Centre thanks you!

Recipe and Nutrition Info:

Chicken Curry Pot
Serves 6
 
12 bone-in chicken thighs or 6 chicken breasts                   
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 onions, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup raisins
1 can chickpeas
3 cups of chicken stock or water
1 can coconut milk
2 cups spinach, bok choy or other greens
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ cup frozen green peas
½ cup rice
½ cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

 Directions:

  • Over medium heat, heat oil in a large pot.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan, brown on all sides about 3-4 minutes and remove from pot. 
  • Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes till golden.  Add brown sugar and stir till melted and slightly caramelized.
  • Add raisins, chickpeas, stock, coconut milk, salt, curry powder and rice. 
  • Add chicken back to the pot and bring to a light boil and cook for 15 minutes till rice and chicken are almost cooked through. 
  • Add greens, green peas and cilantro and cook for another 5 minutes.Serve hot in a large bowl with one or two pieces of chicken with lots of sauce over top.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

  • Chicken – Excellent source of lean protein, chicken thighs have more iron than chicken breasts (important for women)
  • Chickpeas– Excellent source of fibre, folate and protein. Fibre is important for a healthy digestive tract in addition to stabilizing blood sugars, and it keeps you full for a longer period of time.
  • Onions/Garlic/Curry – All are known to fight cancer and heart disease
  • Spinach/Green Peas – High in antioxidants and fibre, also known to fight cancer and heart disease.

Local Chef Gives Back to Youville Centre

On Wednesday, January 12th, Youville students were the lucky recipients of a personal cooking class from Chef Katie Brown, Chef de Cuisine at Play Food and Wine (Steven Beckta).This visit was part of a weekly program here at Youville Centre called Collective Kitchen. Part of the Parenting curriculum, Collective Kitchen teaches young parents how to cook healthy, affordable meals for themselves and their children using nutritious, tasty ingredients.  

This week’s recipe featured tuna cakes with roasted root vegetables and sweet and sour onions. Chef Katie enjoyed spending time with the students and was open to asking many questions not only about the ingredients, but also about life as a young female chef.

RECIPES:

Tuna cakes
Makes 4 Patties
 
2 cans drained chopped tuna
3 whole eggs, separated
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying


 Sweet and Sour Onions
 
2 whole onions, sliced thin
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp malt ( or any preferred ) vinegar
2 tbsp water
Salt and pepper


 Roasted Potatoes and Root Vegetables
 
1 potato
1 sweet potato
2 carrots
2 parsnips (we used celery root instead)
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
Parsley (if available)


 
Combine tuna, egg yolks and 1 white, 3/4 cups of bread crumbs, vegetables and seasonings. Heat oil in frying pan and coat patties with egg whites, then remaining bread crumbs. Fry patty on each side for approx. 4 minutes until golden brown and warm in the middle.

Peel and slice vegetables to a similar size, then potatoes to similar shape, but smaller. Toss with oil and season to taste. Put into oven at 375′ for approximately 15 minutes, turning and tossing, after ten minutes. Toss with chopped parsley. Place serving of roasted veggies with one patty and top with sweet and sour onions.

The finished product resulted in a healthy snack for Youville’s young mothers and an informative lesson from an inspiring young woman who is succeeding in the world of work. Thanks again to Katie for her time and talent!