FutureChefs: Recipes by Tomorrow's Cooks Across the Nation and the World: A Cookbook

by Ramin Ganeshram, Jean Paul Vellotti (Photographer)

Overview

A 2015 IACP Cookbook Awards Winner: Children, Youth and Family

A curated collection of 150 recipes drawn from the experience and kitchens of young cooks all over America, FutureChefs brings real, cooking-obsessed tweens and teens to the page as relatable characters who span a diverse social and cultural experience. Here, in rich, inspiring detail, is the ethnoculinary America of the future.

Veteran journalist and trained chef Ramin Ganeshram has crafted profiles of serious young cooks who run the gamut of experience, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to create an inspiring prism through which readers might see what's ahead in America's food culture. Whether they've taken to it because of necessity, inspiration, or sheer passion, these are kids, teens, and tweens who are very serious about food.

Featuring recipes from young celebrity chefs Logan Guleff, winner FOX's MasterChef Jr, and Kid Chef Eliana de Las Casas, Daniel Hamilton, Alessandra Ciuffo, and Jack Witherspoon from Food Network's Rachael versus Guy, as well as the White House's Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winners Sydney Michael Brown and Haile Thomas.

This is a generation more interested in hands-on cooking than ever, but they're lacking material that treats them as a serious part of cooking culture; FutureChefs is the perfect vehicle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623362072
Publisher:	Harmony/Rodale
Publication date:	10/07/2014
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Ramin Ganeshram is the author of Stir It Up!—a Scholastic book fair featured selection—and a 20-year veteran journalist who trained as a chef at the Institute of Culinary Education. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Newsday, Saveur, Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Forbes Traveler, and National Geographic Traveler. She currently teaches food writing at New York University.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Great Beginnings

(Soups/Salads)

The most common meal starters, soups and salads, hold a particular place in our American hearts. Warming, comforting soup calls to mind a sense of home and hearth. Perhaps this is why kids are often the most beloved spokespeople in canned soup commercials from time immemorial. The recipes in this chapter tell another story: Young people are no longer the passive recipients of a simple bowl of soup. Instead, here they act as creators, building each spoonful on a foundation of fresh and wholesome ingredients. So, too, the salads in this chapter demonstrate that not only do today's youngsters appreciate fresh, raw vegetables and greens, but they know how to use them to best advantage. What you'll find is a diversity of preparations in terms of ingredients and complexity. Represented in this chapter are both soups and salads that eat like meals as well as those that are tantalizing openers to a larger menu.

Mazy Wirt Hanson

Des Moines, Iowa

Mazian Hanson's goal is to write 1,000 posts on his food blog Mazy's Food Adventures, where he explores adventurous eating. The 9-year-old food blogger, whose nickname is Mazy, got inspired to visit restaurants and write about new and different dishes specifically to influence other kids to be more open to new foods. The self-styled "adventurous eater" says he's tried and likes American, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, Salvadoran, and Greek food to name some, but sushi is his favorite.

"I will try anything. I have friends who are picky eaters. I try to get them to eat other foods," he says. Part of his trying anything spirit is an annual visit to the World Food & Music Festival in Mazy's hometown of Des Moines where multiple countries are represented with their national dishes. At this year's festival Mazy tried pork belly from America, goat burgers from the Philippines, kimchi tacos from Korea, blood soup from El Salvador, and gelato ice cream from Italy.

When Mazy cooks at home, he opts for simple, fresh recipes. One favorite is Egg Drop Soup, which he tried while searching for a soup he might like. "I added shredded carrots to the recipe because I really like the way carrots taste and the bright orange makes the soup more colorful. I like to put it in a thermos and take it to school for lunch, which always gets my friends interested because it's something new." The recipe was also appealing to Mazy because of its semi-exotic nature—particularly the technique of creating scrambled egg "ribbons" in the soup, which come out beautifully with a little patience and a steady hand.

EGG DROP SOUP

SERVES 4 TO 6
GF

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 eggs, well beaten
Celery leaves, for garnish (optional)
Red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)

1. In a deep saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium-low heat. Add the carrots, scallions, and garlic and stir well. Cook for 1 minute. Do not allow the ingredients to brown.

2. Pour in the chicken stock and soy sauce. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Stirring constantly, pour in the beaten eggs, so that they form long "ribbons" as they cook. Once all the eggs are added, stop stirring and simmer for 1 minute more.

4. Serve hot, garnished with celery leaves and red pepper flakes to taste, if desired.



Ezra Steinberg

Mountain View, California

It's only natural that you'd start cooking at age 4 if your dad got his start as a restaurant baker. While still a preschooler, Ezra Steinberg's repertoire mostly included eggs and experimentation. "I just threw a lot of stuff together and it sort of came out blech," he says of one of his early soups, a preparation around which he's now developed finesse. Now, at the mature age of 6, Ezra does most of the shopping, creation, and preparation of his original soups himself--with help from Mom and Dad only when necessary. His rescue Soup was created, he says, "to rescue people from bad flavors," and is highly focused on the bounty from his family's and school's seasonal gardens--the places where Ezra first learns about most of his new ingredients. When it came to this soup, Ezra's dad, Daniel, was wary of his son's particular combination of vegetables, but was pleasantly surprised when it was done.

You can experiment with your own favorite vegetables, but keep in mind that firm-fleshed vegetables will work best. You may also want to increase the garlic, salt, or pepper to your own taste. Serve with Rosemary Bread without the dipping sauce (page 192).

RESCUE SOUP

SERVES 4 TO 6
V, GF

2 medium red bell peppers
1 medium Japanese eggplant
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium leek, roughly chopped
6 white mushrooms, roughly chopped
6 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 porcini bouillon cube (optional)

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Place the bell peppers and eggplant on a lightly greased baking pan. Broil the peppers and eggplant until the skins are browned and blistered, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the vegetables during cooking so that all sides are well browned. Set the peppers and eggplant aside to cool.

3. When cool enough to handle, slice the eggplant in half and scoop the flesh into a food processor (or blender). Discard the skin and stem. Seed, stem, and peel the red peppers. The skin should peel away easily. Rinse the peppers to remove any clinging skin, if need be. Add to the food processor (or blender). Set aside.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the leek, mushrooms, and garlic and cook until the garlic and mushrooms are lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rosemary and stir well. Cook for 1 minute more.

5. Add the cooked leek mixture and 1/4 cup of the vegetable stock or water to the food processor (or blender). Puree until all the ingredients form a smooth, loose paste without lumps. Add more stock, as needed, to achieve this consistency.

6. Pour the pureed vegetable mixture into a 4-quart saucepan or medium soup pot and add the remaining stock or water. Add the salt, black pepper to taste, and the porcini bouillon cube (if using). Stir well and return to the stove.

7. Simmer the soup over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Serve hot with Rosemary Bread (page 192).


Cheyenne Preston

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cheynne Preston is a senior at Milwaukee's Escuela Verde, a charter school for students interested in sustainability, student-led learning, and restorative justice. Cheyenne volunteers in the Lunch Bunch—a committee of students and teachers who facilitate lunch deliveries from local businesses. The school does not have its own kitchen and sources food from outside restaurants. The task is challenging because Escuela Verde is a vegetarian school in a neighborhood struggling with urban blight, and where many of the students are considered "at-risk."

Cooking is the 17-year-old's main area of focus and she plans to make a series of videos teaching other young people about healthy food choices for her senior thesis. "There are many people who are eating fast food because they don't know that eating healthy food can be just as cost-efficient and easy to make," she says. "I want to make a series of YouTube videos showing how to make recipes that are available as snacks and food everyone can make."

Cheyenne's natural curiosity extends far beyond her actual borders. The teen has a love of Asian foods and of cosplay, where people dress up as anime or other characters from a show or a book. She mentions being especially influenced by an episode of her favorite Korean television series Boys Over Flowers. "There was a scene where the characters Jun-pyo and Jan-di ate a platter of fatty tuna," says Cheyenne. "The dish was so complicated and beautiful that it was an eye popper."

Cheyenne spends a lot of time exploring and learning about new foods. This Vegetarian ramen is inspired by her walks through Asian markets. The teen hopes, one day, to open her own cosplay cafe where she can marry both the culinary and cultural aspects of Japanese, Korean, and other Asian communities.

VEGETARIAN RAMEN

SERVES 4
V

2 teaspoons dried wakame
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups Kombu Dashi (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons yellow miso paste
6 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Toasted sesame oil, for serving (optional)
Chili oil, for serving (optional)

1. In a small bowl, combine the wakame and 1/3 cup water. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, flour, and 3 tablespoons water. Using your hands, knead the dough until stiff. It should not be sticky. If the dough is sticky, gradually dust it with flour and continue to knead until it is firm. If the dough is too dry, add water by sprinkling it on top of the dough and kneading until it is stiff but not sticky. Wrap the dough in a damp paper towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. When the dough has rested, dust a clean work surface with flour and dust the dough with flour as well. Roll out the dough to a rough rectangle about 13 × 15 inches and about 1/8 inch thick. Continue dusting the dough lightly, as needed, to prevent the rolling pin from sticking to it.

4. Starting at a short end, fold the dough over twice. Sprinkle with more flour. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough roll crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide noodles. Unfold each noodle gently.

5. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water and the salt to a boil. Add the noodles and use chopsticks to gently stir the noodles around until they float, about 4 minutes.

6. In a separate large saucepan, stir together the Kombu Dashi and miso and place over medium heat. Stir until the miso dissolves. Add the tofu, reduce the soup to a slight simmer, and cook until just heated, do not boil.

7. Strain the wakame and divide it and the scallion evenly among 4 soup bowls. Divide the cooked noodles among the bowls and then pour the soup over them. Gently stir, using chopsticks. Serve hot, drizzled with toasted sesame oil and chili oil, if desired.

Kombu Dashi

MAKES 4 CUPS

Dashi is the broth that is an underpinning for many Japanese soups--noodle and otherwise. Mastering dashi is foundational to well-rounded flavor. While traditional dashi is most often made with dried bonito tuna flakes, this vegetarian version uses kombu seaweed. If you like more intense flavor, you can increase the amount of kombu to 2 sheets for the same amount of water.

1 sheet dried kombu
4 cups water

1. Clean the kombu by wiping with a slightly damp paper towel. Slice the kombu into thin strips.

2. Place the kombu in a medium bowl with the water. Cover and set aside for at least 10 hours and up to 24.

3. Set a sieve over a bowl and drain the kombu soaking liquid into the bowl. Discard the kombu pieces. This mixture can keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.


Sophie Trachtenberg

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

At 15, Sophie Trachtenberg is already the keeper of her family's European Jewish heritage. A self-styled "storyteller through food," Sophie took over baking her great-aunt Leona's mandelbrot, a Jewish cookie not unlike biscotti. "Aunt Leona is a remarkable family member of mine who fled to the United States before the Holocaust, but her sisters and mother were killed in the Warsaw Ghetto. Making this recipe revives part of our family history," says Sophie. When she's not playing basketball for her Oklahoma City high school team or volunteering for Cleats for Kids, a local charity that collects and distributes sporting equipment to youngsters in need, Sophie is working on her food blog Simply Sophie Bea and taking advanced cooking classes. Part of her ongoing passion for her family history was realized when she mastered her great-grandmother Evelyn's Matzoh Ball Soup, a staple at the family's New Year table.

Although matzoh ball soup is a traditional Jewish staple, it's a preparation that requires some finesse, and Sophie practiced her version many times before it became the showcase of the holiday spread. A long, slow simmer is key to the most flavorful chicken broth and a light hand is required when mixing the matzoh balls. Resist the urge to overbeat the batter or your resulting matzoh balls will be "sinkers" rather than "floaters."

MATZOH BALL SOUP

SERVES 4 TO 6

Broth
1/2 chicken (about 2 pounds)
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1/2 bunch parsley
1 sprig fresh dill

Matzoh balls
1 cup matzoh meal
2 eggs, well beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soup
1/2 medium white onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 parsnip, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked egg noodles, for serving (optional)

1. For the broth: In a deep stockpot, bring 3 quarts (12 cups) water to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer over medium heat, skimming the fat from the top as needed. Once there is no fat left to skim, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, add the onion, carrot, celery, parsnip, parsley, and dill. Simmer on medium-low for 1 hour, uncovered.

2. Meanwhile, for the matzoh balls: In a medium bowl, mix the matzo meal with 1/4 cup water, the eggs, vegetable oil, parsley, dill, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir until just combined, do not overmix. Put the matzoh ball mixture into the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes.

3. In a large pot, combine 3 quarts (12 cups) water and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat.

4. After the matzoh ball mixture has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. To avoid sticking, spray some cooking spray or add a bit of oil to your hands before forming the matzoh balls. Scoop about 1/4 cup of mixture and roll it into a ball between your palms. Repeat until all the mixture is used up, you should have 8 or 9 small matzoh balls.

5. Drop the matzoh balls into the boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 20 minutes. Once the matzo balls are fluffy and rise to the top of the pot, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and set aside.