Page 12 - 061720-Market-Bulletin

PAGE 12 FARMERS AND CONSUMERS MARKET BULLETIN – 404-656-3722 – agr.georgia.gov WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2020
A healthy cooking competition prepares high schoolers for culinary futures

Editor’s Note: The past three months such as multiplying and dividing fractions as
changed everything, including the way we they increase or reduce servings of recipes.
covered agriculture in Georgia. We planned “It’s just one more step in showing our
to tell you this story about up-and-coming students where our food comes from and
young chefs in March, but COVID-19 had how important agriculture in Georgia is to
other plans for all of us. We tell you now, at the economy and the everyday life of those
a time when these young people would have students,” said Misty Friedman, Farm to
graduated to the next stage of their lives School/Nutrition Coordinator for the GDA.
with great pomp and circumstance. We wish The Brooks County students jumped out
them well and look forward to seeing what of their seats when they were called up to
they accomplish. receive the first-place award at the closing
ceremony. Breauna Grant said afterward that
By Jay Jones it took them some time to get the ingredients
jay.jones@agr.georgia.gov right, and they only practiced cooking their
dish three times. She dedicated the win to
MACON – Like something from a reali- Tammy Acree, their culinary teacher, who
ty television cooking show, teams of high was in tears at their table.
school students created impressive dishes “We’re from a small high school in a
from Georgia-grown ingredients at the Farm small town – Quitman, Georgia – and they
to School and Fueling Georgia’s Future Stu- have worked diligently on this for the past
dent Chef Competition in Macon Feb. 20. three months, preparing this dish, critiquing
There was no studio audience or hot-head- Members of “The Spice Girls” culinary team from Brooks County High School won the state Student Chef it and getting support from their families and
ed TV host grilling the participants on what Competition on Feb. 20 in Macon with their recipe for White Chicken Chili. From left to right: Keionna the school. Words cannot express the way I
they were preparing. Still, the tension inside Donaldson, Arkessia Stewart, Raeanna Barbour, Breauna Grant and BCHS Culinary Instructor Tammy feel right now,” Acree said.
the kitchen at Helms College in Macon was Acree. (Jay Jones/GDA) Brooks County would have competed
so thick you could cut it with a knife. against high schools from across the South-
“The competitors are nervous when they Hamner said 38 high schools submitted rec- the school’s garden. Spalding County High east in the regional cook-off in Louisville,
get started and relieved when they finish, but ipes this year and 10 finalists were chosen School came in second for their Korean Let- Ky., in May. However, that event was can-
they learn so much in the process,” said Ann to meet for the state title. Recipes submitted tuce Wrap and Cass High School in Carters- celled due to the response to the COVID-19
Hamner with the Georgia Department of had to meet the competition’s criteria, which ville came in third for their Falling for Pot Pie. pandemic. Event organizer Kelley Toon, ac-
Education’s Nutrition Division. “They really include the use of two Georgia-grown in- Carroll explained her team received many ademic nutritionist for student and commu-
become so much more aware of what school gredients and one USDA commodity in the recipe suggestions from students that ranged nity engagement with the DOE, said it was
nutrition workers do to get that meal on their recipe. Students get bonus points if they also from sandwiches to mac and cheese. When a disheartening when the regional competition
tray.” use in-season Georgia fruits or vegetables, judge asked why they chose pot pie, Carroll was cancelled, but that the experience at the
The Student Chef Competition for mid- known as “Harvest of the Month” products. answered: “Who doesn’t like chicken pot state cook-off is something students can car-
dle and high schoolers is part of the Farm to Students must also use ingredients read- pie? It’s comfort food, and when you see it ry with them long after high school.
School program, a partnership of the Geor- ily available to school districts. The recipes at lunch, it’s not a foreign thing. Chicken pot “I really think the culinary competition is
gia Department of Education, the Georgia must be easy to replicate in large amounts pie is something you know.” a perfect example of hands-on learning op-
Department of Agriculture, Georgia Organ- because the winning recipe will be used in In the cooking competition, students learn portunities. They are getting to apply some
ics and the Georgia Department of Public school cafeterias across Georgia. a lot more than cooking. They build confi- of the skills they learned in the classroom
Health. The program’s goals are to bring Brooks County High School’s team won dence as public speakers when called before in an institutional kitchen,” Toon said. “It’s a
locally grown foods to schools and educate for their White Chicken Chili recipe, which the judges to describe their recipes and de- great experience to learn first about agricul-
youth about nutrition and agriculture. included Georgia-grown Jalapeno pepper, fend their choices of ingredients. They also ture and also school meals and the nutrition
The competition is in its fourth year. Vidalia onion, tomatoes and herbs grown in learn practical applications for math skills piece of it.”
Cook GeorGia Grown: White Chicken Chili

This recipe is the winning entry Pico de Gallo salsa: Remove bones and place chicken
from Brooks County High School in 1 medium tomato in oven and heat to 165 degrees F.
Quitman for the annual high school 2 ¼ cups red onion Add garlic to the sauce pot and
Student Chef Competition held at ½ cup green bell pepper sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the
Helms College in Macon on Feb. 2 Tbsps cilantro chicken broth, chicken, beans in
20. The students tasted-tested the 1 Tbsp lime juice the sauce pot, stir, then add lime
recipe among fellow students and juice, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper,
used Georgia-grown ingredients Garnish: red chili flakes, cayenne pepper
such as red onions, Jalapeno 4 oz avocado and bring to a boil. Allow mixture
peppers, tomatoes and green bell 1 ½ oz shredded yellow cheese to boil gently for 7-10 minutes. Add
peppers. ½ cup sour cream water to thin chili as desired. Add
1 ½ oz fried tortilla strips, spinach half of the cilantro and boil for 1
Chili: and white minute (the rest will be added to
15 oz or about 8 pieces of cooked the Pico de Gallo salsa).
chicken Directions:
1 Jalapeno pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees F to While the chili cooks, prepare the
3 garlic cloves roast chicken pieces. Pico de Gallo salsa for garnish.
24 oz chicken broth (low sodium) Dice tomato, onion, bell pepper
15 oz Cannellini beans Blend ½ cup of beans with a and add in a bowl with lime juice
6 oz diced green chilies splash of chicken broth in a frying and remainder of cilantro. Let sit.
1 Tbsp Cumin, ground pan.
¼ tsp salt, kosher Serve chili with Pico de Gallo, sour
½ tsp black pepper In a sauce pot or steam kettle, add cream, sliced avocado, shredded
¾ tsp red chili flakes margarine and heat over medium cheese and tortilla strips. Serves 6.
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper high to warm, then add onion,
½ oz margarine jalapeno, green chilies and sauté
¼ cup cilantro (save half for salsa) for 7 minutes or until softened. (Jay Jones/GDA)

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