Best Teen Chef

Amanda Nunez, winner of the Best Teen Chef contest, displays some of her culinary achievements!

Tortilla Soup
Yield: 4

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock
2 tomatoes seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper diced
½ Serrano chili diced
½ sweet potato cubed
½ cup diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 oz tomato sauce
4 oz cubed chicken
1 tortilla cut into strips and fried
1 avocado small cubed
1 oz cheddar or jack cheese

Method:
Heat stock and tomato sauce over medium heat. Add tomato garlic and onion. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Add bell pepper, sweet potato and Serrano chili. Let simmer another 15 minutes and add chicken, salt, and pepper. Serve with cubed avocado, cheese, and tortilla strips.

• Starburst Grapefruit Salad
Yield: 2

Ingredients:
1 grapefruit segmented
4 oz baby spinach
2 strawberries
1 zucchini
1/8 cup strawberry fruit vinaigrette
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Use a peeler to make thin strips of zucchini and cut them into skinny strips about 3 inches long. Slice the strawberries and mix with the zucchini and spinach. Toss with the grapefruit segments and vinaigrette.

Strawberry grapefruit vinaigrette:

Ingredients:
2 strawberries
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp grapefruit juice
2 oz vegetable oil

Method:
Blend first 5 ingredients until pureed and drizzle in the oil until emulsified.

• Mexican Rice
Yield: 4

Ingredients:
7 oz long grain rice
14 oz chicken stock
½ cup diced tomatoes
3 oz carrot brunoise
1.5 oz butter
¼ cup diced onion
½ tsp minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Heat chicken stock in a pan over medium heat. Melt butter in sauce pot. Add garlic, onions, carrot and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir constantly until the rice is opaque and evenly coated with the butter. Add the hot stock, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to low and let cook for 20 minutes.

• Stuffed Zucchini
Yield: 4

Ingredients:
1 Zucchini
1 tsp tiny broccoli flourettes
1 red bell pepper brunoise
2 tbsp onion finely chopped
1 tsp garlic minced
1/8 cup tomatoes diced
1 tbsp mushrooms finely chopped
1 tsp ancho chili finely chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 oz cheddar or jack cheese

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit
Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a melon baler to take out the seeds. Set aside.
Sauté the chili, mushrooms, tomato, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and broccoli in 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Add the salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini, top with cheese, and bake for 10 minutes.

• Sautéed Pork Medallions with Tomatillo Pesto
Yield: 2

Ingredients:
3 tomatillos
4 sprigs basil
1 oz pine nuts
3 oz vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp garlic
1 ¼ tsp chicken stock
Four 3 oz pork medallions
2 sprigs thyme

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
Heat 1 oz oil in sauté pan. Sauté the pork with the thyme in the pan. About 3 minutes. Flip the medallions and cook another 3 minutes until golden brown. Finish the pork in the oven for about 5-6 minutes. While the pork is in the oven, deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and add the pesto on a low heat to warm. After the pork is done, drizzle the sauce over and eat!

Tomatillo Pesto: Blend together the tomatillos, pine nuts, basil, and garlic. Drizzle in 2 oz oil slowly while blending and set aside for the pork.