Week 4: June 27, 2024
Connecting to Community Through Food:
Meaningful Meals
WEEK 4 MENU
Brazilian Black Bean Soup with Rice & Roasted Seasonal Vegetables & Green Salad
IN THE KITCHEN
Welcome to the kitchen: ready to cook?
Getting ready to cook: mise en place
Cooking with legumes
Mindfulness and connection through food
What is a Mosaic Dinner?
IN THE FIELD
Food for the Soul
KITCHEN SCIENCE
Emulsification 101: What Makes a Vinaigrette Work?
In the Kitchen with Alex
TOOLS
Large pot
Medium pot
Small pan
Cooking spoons
Chef knife
Cutting board
IN THE FIELD:
Food for the Soul:
Sound Healing & Eating Together
Join Field Guide Alex Booker at a Mosaic Dinner hosted at Pasture and Plenty where he explores sound healing with Sarah Branch of Earthly Temptations and the power of coming together at a shared table.
KITCHEN SCIENCE:
Emulsification 101:
What Makes a Vinaigrette Work?
In Week 4, we explore solutions, colloids and suspensions and how they show up in the kitchen.
Brown Rice
Serves 4 | cook time 25 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown rice rice
2 cups veggie stock or water
1½ tbsp unsalted butter
½ tps salt
METHOD
Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water, swishing the rice with your hand, for 1 to 2 minutes to release excess starch. (Alternatively, place the rice in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish the grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off the water, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat four times, or until the water runs almost clear. Use a fine mesh strainer to drain the rice.)
In a medium pot, bring the rice, stock, butter and salt to a boil.
Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.
If the rice is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water and continue cooking for a few minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit covered for 5 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
Roasted Seasonal Vegetables
Serves 4 | Cook time: 25 min
INGREDIENTS
2 Zucchini (or other seasonal vegetable(s))
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt & pepper or other favorite seasonings, to taste
METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Wash, trim ends off, and chop veggies into bite sized pieces. Place on a foil or parchment-lined pan. Season the veggies to taste and toss in oil.
Bake in the preheated oven until browning and tender, about 15 minutes (but this will vary based on the vegetable and the size you cut the pieces).
Brazilian Black Bean Soup
By Alex Booker
Serves 4 | cook time 45 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 (14 oz) can black beans
½ Tbsp cumin
2 bay leaf
1 tsp crushed red pepper, optional
1 cup brown rice
2 cloves garlic
1 green onion
1 tsp dried thyme
1 lime
¼ cup cilantro
2 cups veggie stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
Open the can of beans and strain the liquid. Add the beans, veggie stock, bay leaf, cumin, and crushed red pepper to a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer.
Dice onions and garlic and add to the soup pot; stir in the thyme. Cover and continue to simmer.
Serve on rice with a roasted seasonal vegetable, some chopped cilantro and a wedge of lime.
TO SERVE
Wash, dry and toss the salad greens with the vinaigrette you made during Kitchen Science.
Serve the soup in a bowl on brown rice with the seasonal roasted vegetable. Enjoy the salad on the side.