Week 3: June 20, 2024

Connection to the Land: Flavors of the Diaspora


WEEK 3 MENU

Cameroon Spaghetti Omelet with Turnip Greens & Massaged Kale Salad

IN THE KITCHEN

Welcome to the kitchen: ready to cook?

Getting ready to cook: mise en place

History of spaghetti omelet & foodways of the diaspora

Utilizing seasonal ingredients in recipes

IN THE FIELD

Supporting Healthy Black Agriculture

KITCHEN SCIENCE

Kinetics in the Kitchen

In the Kitchen with Ruthanna

TOOLS

Mixing bowl

Small pot

Skillet

Large salad bowl

Jar with lid

Spatula

Chef knife 

Cutting board

IN THE FIELD:
Healthy Black Agriculture

Join our Field Guide Alex Booker as he visits Farmer Ruthanna in the field at the Farley Center, where Ruthanna manages the educational farm plot for Urban Triage’s Supporting Healthy Black Agriculture Program.

KITCHEN SCIENCE:
Kinetics in the Kitchen

In Week 3, we explore the science of bitterness and how we make greens and other bitter plants into delicious food for the table using kinetic energy.

Massaged Kale Salad

Serves 4 | cook time 15 mins 

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch Kale

2 Tbsp Sunflower seeds

Dried Cranberries

1 Crisp Apple

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Maple syrup

½ cup Olive Oil

1 tsp crumbled dried herbs

Salt & pepper, to taste

METHOD

Rinse kale, shake off excess water and pat dry with a towel. Strip the leaves from the stems and slice into bite sized pieces.

Place the kale into a large mixing bowl; drizzle with olive oil and salt. With clean hands, massage the kale until the leaves are tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

Cut the apple into small cubes, leaving the skin on. Add the apple, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries to the kale.

In a glass jar, or small bowl, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Close the lid and shake the jar for 2 to 3 mins, or whisk.

Add dressing to the salad bowl and toss together to serve.

Cameroon Spaghetti Omelet

By Ruthanna Hutton-Okpalaeke

Serves 4 | cook time 25 mins 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup of cooked spaghetti

Olive oil

1 spring onion, peeled, trimmed and sliced

1 bunch turnip greens and bottoms, rinsed and sliced thin

4 large eggs, whisked

Pinch of Crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season with a teaspoon of salt, and gently add the spaghetti noodles into the pot, stirring to keep them from clumping. Bring back to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the noodles are al dente, or just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set the cooked noodles aside. They may clump together, and this is ok!

Place a large skillet over medium heat, warm about a tablespoon of oil in the pan. Cook the onions, sliced turnips and turnip greens until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Turnip greens to the cooked pasta.

Toss the pasta, onions and turnips together. Add in the eggs, crushed pepper, salt and pepper together, and fold to combine.

Heat the same skillet you used to cook the onions and turnips over medium heat, add 1 ½ tablespoons oil into the pan. Once heated, pour in the spaghetti and egg mixture. Do not touch it until the bottom is set.

Slip a knife around the edge to loosen the omelet, then using a spatula turn the omelet, cooked side up, onto a plate (patch up the pieces if it breaks).

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pan, slide the omelet back into the pan, soft side down and cook until set, about 3 minutes.

Flip the omelet out of the pan onto a plate to serve. Slice in wedges and serve with salad.