We continue to be inspired by the culinary arts students in Fort Worth. Last month's Fit Foods Face-Off: Healthy Tailgate Competition was a huge success, and this November, the incredibly talented culinary arts students from Polytechnic High School hosted a Blue Zones® inspired Thanksgiving dinner. Each dish was creative, delicious, and met the Blue Zones healthy dish guidelines. Here are a couple of our favorites from the meal. We hope you enjoy these recipes and share them with your families this holiday season.
Green Bean Pozole by Chef José Frayre, Polytechnic High School Culinary Arts
Ingredients, Makes: 30 (2oz) portions
- Jalapeño, 1 ea
- Poblano, 5 ea
- Onion, 1 ea
- Garlic, 5 ea
- Tomato, 5 ea
- Tomatillo, 4 ea
- Olive Oil, 2 Tbl
- Dried Guajillo, 2 ea
- Water, 2 qt
- Hominy, 1 lb
- Green Beans, 1” pieces 1 lb
- Cabbage, finely shredded 8 oz
- Radish, fine Julianne 8 oz
- Avocado, small dice 4 ea
- Tortilla, fine Julianne 5 ea
- Lime, thinly sliced 4 ea
- Cilantro, chiffonade 1 bu
- Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Over medium heat, roast jalapeño, poblano, onion, garlic, tomato, and tomatillo until charred and soft. Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 10 minutes. Peal all vegetables, and remove seeds form chilies.
2. Heat stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil, add roasted vegetables and guajillo and cook down for 10 minutes. Add water and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt.
3. Blend liquid until fine, strain and return to pot. Add hominy, and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Remove cooked pozole from liquid.
4. In separate sauce pan, blanch green beans in boiling salted water. Shock in ice water.
5. Place pozole, green beans, cabbage, radish, avocado, tortilla strips, lime, and cilantro in serving bowl.
6. Pour hot soup in serving bowl.
Vegetable Tamales by Chef José Frayre, Polytechnic High School Culinary Arts
Masa Ingredients, Makes 4 cups
- Maseca 3.25 c
- Steel Cut Oats, finely ground 0.50 c
- Flaxseed, finely ground 0.25 c
- Baking Powder 2.00 tsp
- Coconut Butter, cold 2.00 c
- Vegetable Stock, hot 2.25 c
- Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Combine maseca, oats, flaxseed, and coconut butter and rub between hands until mixture looks like sand. Season mixture with salt.
2. Slowly add in stock until mixture comes together and is slightly wet, but does not stick to the fingers.
Filling Ingredients, Makes: 30 each - Olive Oil 2.00 tbl
- Fresh Corn 1.00 c
- Zucchini, small dice 1.00 c
- Yellow Squash, small dice 1.00 c
- Poblano, small dice 0.50 c
- Tomatoes 0.50 c
- Goat Cheese 0.75 c
- Oregano tt
- Salt tt
- Final Tamale
- Corn Husks 30 ea
- Masa (from above)
Directions:
1. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add olive oil, fresh corn, zucchini, squash, and poblanos and sauté lightly tender. Season with oregano and salt.
2. Place vegetables in a bowl and mix in tomatoes. Let cool for 10 minutes, and fold in goat cheese.
3. Lightly soak corn husks in water. Using the back of a spoon spread a thin layer of masa on the husks.
4. Fill each husk with vegetable filling. Tightly roll tamales, and fold the pointed side.
5. Steam tamales for 45 min, until masa is cooked and firm to the touch.
Salad for Tamale
Spicy Pecans- Olive Oil 1.00 tsp
- Pecans, rough chopped 1.00 c
- Chili Powder 0.25 C
- Sherry Vinegar 0.50 c
- Olive Oil 1.00 c
- Shallot, minced 1.00 ea
- Mustard 1.00 tbl
- Salt to taste
- Pepper tt
- Honey tt
- Salad Mix 5.00 c
- Carrot, fine Julianne 4.00 ea
- Red Beet, shaved 1.00 ea
- Radish, shaved 1.00 C
- Red Bell Pepper, fine Julianne 1.00 ea
- Salt 0.25 tsp
- Pepper 0.25 tsp
- Lemon juice 1.00 ea
Directions:
1. For pecans, heat sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and pecans and sauté until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and toss with chili powder. Using a strainer, shake off excess powder.
2. For vinaigrette, place all ingredients in blender and blend until fully combined and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, and add honey to adjust sweetness.
3. When serving salad, combine salad ingredient in a large bowl and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Add enough vinaigrette to just coat the salad, and toss with your hands.
4. Place pecans on top of salad when ready to serve.