Bay Area chefs, food banks come together for ABC7's Give Where You Live Food Drive

KGO logo
Monday, July 20, 2020
Bay Area chefs, food banks come together for ABC7's Give Where You Live Food Drive
ABC7 is coming together with Bay Area chefs and local food banks to help feed families in need and share recipes using food pantry staples.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- ABC7 is coming together with Bay Area chefs and local food banks to help feed families in need and share recipes using food pantry staples.

Our hour-long program goes behind-the-scenes of food banks to discover how they are meeting the growing demands of feeding families and children in need. Summertime creates a struggle for food-insecure households, especially for families with school-aged children and for those who have recently lost their jobs. ABC7 is committed to helping raise money to serve our diverse communities and raise awareness around the realities of hunger in the Bay Area.

There are many ways to donate, volunteer, take action and help support neighbors who need it the most. Find your local food bank here and Give Where You Live.

Participating chefs who have cooked up delicious recipes with pantry staples include:

Go here to find your local food bank and donate today.

FEATURED RECIPES

Redwood Empire Food Bank Recipes:

Marinated Zucchini by Chef Duskie Estes, Zazu Catering + Farm:

These tasty, pickled zucchinis are great by themselves, with a sandwich, or on a cheeseboard!

Ingredients:

4 large zucchini

1 Cup Champagne vinegar or rice wine vinegar

2 cups of water

1 garlic clove

Pinch of chili flakes

Sprig of oregano or basil

Salt to taste

A glass jar with lid

Directions:

1. Slice zucchini into coins about 1/4 inch thick

2. Generously salt for one hour.

3. In a saucepan, bring 1 part champagne vinegar or rice wine vinegar and 2 parts water to a boil. Pour over zucchini and refrigerate overnight.

4. Remove zucchini from the vinegar mixture.

5. To save for future use, place zucchini in jars, add a garlic clove, a pinch of chili flakes, and a sprig of oregano or basil.

6. Store in refrigerator. Serve as antipasti with meat or cheeseboards.

Secret Ingredient Cupcakes by Chef Duskie Estes:

This amazing cupcake hides so much zucchini... and tastes incredible!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup sugar

4 ounces soft unsalted butter

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup hazelnut or almond meal (or hazelnuts or almonds ground in a food processor)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 3/4 cup finely grated zucchini

1/2 box powdered sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon milk

Zest + juice of 2 lemons

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.

2. In a mixer, mix sugar, butter, oil, and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, combine flour, hazelnut meal, salt and baking powder.

4. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture.

5. Fold in the zucchini.

6. Prepare popover pans with spray and flour.

7. Bake until set, about 30 minutes.

8. Once cool, make the icing by combining the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon in a small bowl. The mixture should be thick like glue.

9. Glaze tops of cakes.

Black Pig Zoodle Carbonara by Chef Duskie Estes:

"Zoodles" are a fun way to get kids to eat a lot of zucchini without even knowing it. They are also fun for kids to see being made. I also like a quick saute of zoodles with olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes and then topping them with a hot meatball & tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini

6 pieces bacon, cut into lardons

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

3 eggs

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan and more for garnish

A pinch of chili flakes

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Using a spiralizer, make zucchini noodles.

2. In a bowl whisk the eggs and parmesan.

3. In a large saute pan, render the bacon.

4. When bacon is 50% browned, add the garlic and chili flakes and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

5. Add the "zoodles" and season with salt and pepper.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the egg mixture and quickly stir with a rubber spatula to coat the zoodles.

7. Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan.

Additional recipe sites: https://www.farmtopantry.org/ http://www.blackpigmeatco.com/

Alameda County Community Food Bank Recipe:

Impossible Meat Sloppy Joes - Recipe provided by Impossible: The Cookbook

Chef Tanya Holland, Brown Sugar Kitchen:

Chef Tanya Holland's mom used to make sloppy Joes all the time when she was growing up. It was an easy one-pan meal, and she'd often serve a pickled cucumber salad on the side. "It's such a distinctive, familiar combination of sweet, savory, and spice," she says, "And with all that going on, it's a great choice to make with Impossible meat." The green and red bell peppers are Tanya's colorful touch, a nod to the southern "trinity" of peppers, onions, and celery. She also throws in one of her best-loved seasoning secrets-a touch of brown sugar. "I'm such a fan, I even named my restaurant Brown Sugar Kitchen," she laughs.

Ingredients:

Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 large stalk celery, finely chopped

Kosher salt

1 lb Impossible meat

1 cups ketchup

2 tablespoons brown or grainy mustard

1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

6 sesame or brioche burger buns, split

Directions:

1. In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, bell peppers, celery, and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and start to brown, about 7 minutes.

2. Crumble the Impossible meat into the pan, then increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up the Impossible meat, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and stir to scrape up any browned bits.

3. Add the ketchup, mustard, sugar, vinegar, paprika, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the flavors come together and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little water to loosen. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if necessary.

4. Toast the buns. Top the bottom halves of the buns with the sloppy joe mixture, dividing it equally. Cover with the bun tops and serve at once.

Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano Recipe:

Protein Bowl by Lesley Stiles, Roxx on Main:

Ingredients:

2 T olive or vegetable oil

onion, white, red, or yellow, chopped

1 T chopped garlic

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced

2 carrots, chopped

can corn with liquid

can tomato sauce

1 cup cooked basmati or any kind of rice

cup cooked garbanzo beans

cup cooked black beans

1 T grated orange peel

cup chopped fresh herbs OR 1 T dried herbs

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan and drop in onions. Sauté until a little brown.

2. Add garlic and zucchini and carrots. Sauté for a couple minutes more and add orange peel, corn, and tomato sauce.

3. Let simmer a few minutes and add rice and beans. Let cook until rice and beans are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper and toss on fresh herbs. Serves 4 generously. Mangia!

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley Recipes:

Chicken Adobo by Winson Duong, Paper Plan/SuperGood Kitchen:

Ingredients:

4 lb chicken thighs, skin-on bone-in

cup soy sauce (or tamari, for gluten-free option)

8 fresh Bay Leaves

2 tbsp. coconut vinegar (or distilled white vinegar)

2 tsp. black pepper, whole

tsp. black pepper, crushed

cup garlic, smashed

cup onions, large dice

2 tbsp. coconut oil (or canola oil)

cup onions, very finely minced

1/8 cup garlic, very finely minced 1/8

1 jalapeno, de-seeded, very finely minced

1 cup coconut milk, ultra high pasteurized

Directions:

1. Combine chicken thighs, soy sauce, bay leaves, coconut vinegar, black pepper, garlic, onions in a large bowl. Allow to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 325*F.

3. In a Dutch oven, add coconut oil, minced onions, minced garlic, and minced jalapenos. Sweat for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. You're not trying achieve color here.

4. Add coconut milk, and return to a boil.

5. Baste the chicken with the sauce, cover the pan and move to the oven.

6. Roast at 300*F for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

7. At 45 minutes, remove the Dutch oven from the oven, and flip the pieces of chicken over. Baste the chicken with the sauce, covering the chicken with bits of garlic, jalapeno, and onion.

8. Continue cooking for another 45 minutes.

9. Remove the pan from the oven and assess sauce consistency. If it's more concentrated than you like, then add some boiling water to thin it out, to taste.

10. Cover pan and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.

11. Uncover lid and scrape the sides of the pan, returning these flavors back into the sauce. Serve with steamed rice and a fried egg.

San Francisco - Marin Food Bank Recipes:

Garlic Potato Chips by Larry Finn, CREDO Restaurant:

Ingredients:

Yields 4-6 Servings

6-8 oz. russet potatoes (scrubbed with a brush

7 to 8 cups grapeseed oil or canola oil

cup peeled garlic cloves

cup unsalted butter

6 oz. Flat leaf Italian parsley (leaves and stems sliced thin)

Kosher salt or fine sea salt

Equipment:

Large stainless steel bowl

Deep fryer or a heavy duty 4 quart sauce pan and a deep fry thermometer

Skimmer to remove chips

Baking sheet pan

Medium saucepot

Chips Directions:

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Slice the potatoes crosswise 1/16 inch thick, preferably using a mandoline; transfer the slices to the ice water as you work. Let soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

2. Drain the potatoes and discard the ice. Refill the bowl with cold water, add the potatoes, and stir to release more starch. Drain and spin the potatoes dry in batches in a salad spinner or blot dry on paper towels.

3. Place the potatoes on lengths of paper towel without overlapping them. Roll the slices up in the paper towel (to further dry them) and keep them rolled up until ready to fry; they can hold for up to 2 hours.

4. Heat your fryer to 350F if you do not have a fryer clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan. Add 2-1/2 inches of oil and heat over medium heat to 350 to 360F. Line a large mixing bowl with a length of paper towel long enough to drape over the sides. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.

5. Carefully add about 20 slices (a few handfuls) of the potatoes to the oil. Fry, stirring gently and occasionally with a skimmer, until light golden brown to deep brown in places, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.

6. Remove the potatoes from the oil, tapping the skimmer against the inside of the pan to remove excess oil. Transfer the chips to the prepared bowl, and sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp. salt. Grab the ends of the paper towel and shimmy it back and forth to gently toss the chips with the seasoning and absorb excess oil. Transfer the chips to the prepared baking sheet to cool. Repeat in batches.

7. Allow the chips to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before eating; they'll crisp more as they cool.

Garlic Butter Directions:

1. In a blender, add the peeled garlic cloves and just enough grapeseed oil to puree them until smooth.

2. In a medium saucepot, add the butter and the garlic puree.

3. Over medium heat, cook the garlic until it turns a light tan color.

4. Remove from heat, this is the garlic butter to season the chips.

5. In a large stainless steel bowl, place the potato chips and pour over the garlic butter. Add the chopped parsley, and toss in the bowl to evenly coat in garlic butter and parsley.

6. Check seasoning, they should be well seasoned with salt and garlic-y.

7. Reserve in a warm area till ready to serve.

*If you do not want to fry your own chips you can use sea salt potato chips and season them with the garlic butter and chopped parsley.

Tuna Salad Lettuce Cups by Larry Finn:

Ingredients:

Yields 4-6 Portions

4 - 5 oz. cans tuna (drain water)

1 for each cup - Granny Smith Apple (fine dice, leave skin on)

medium yellow onion, finely diced

4 stalks of celery, finely diced

1 for each cup - lemon (for zest and juice)

2 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp. grapeseed oil (any neutral oil will do, canola, vegetable, etc.)

1 head - Bibb lettuce (or whatever crisp leaf lettuce you have)

4 sprigs - basil

4 sprigs - mint

Kosher salt and black pepper

Equipment:

Medium sauté pan

Large stainless steel bowl

Microplane zester

Chef's knife, cutting board

Rubber spatula

Directions:

1. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat.

2. Add grapeseed oil, swirl around pan to coat it evenly.

3. Add fine diced onion, season with salt and pepper, toss in pan cook until translucent.

4. Add fine diced celery, season with salt and pepper, toss in pan for a minute or two. Then transfer the sautéed onions and celery to a plate to cool.

5. Pull a part the Bibb lettuce leaves, try to keep as whole as possible and wash them. Spin them in a salad spinner or lay out to dry on paper towels.

6. Pick basil and mint leaves, wash and spin them in a salad spinner or lay out to dry on paper towels.

7. In a stainless steel bowl, add the drained tuna, season with salt and pepper.

8. Add fine-diced apple, cooled sautéed onions and celery.

9. Microplane the zest from 1 lemon into the bowl and then squeeze the juice from the lemon into the bowl.

10. Season with salt and pepper.

11. Add extra virgin olive oil and mix together with rubber spatula.

12. Taste for seasoning.

13. Reserve.

Assembly instructions:

1. In each lettuce leaf place 2-3 leaves of basil and 3-4 leaves of mint.

2. Spoon tuna salad into each lettuce leaf and place on a serving platter

3. Enjoy!

Take a look at all of ABC7's Building a Better Bay Area stories and videos here.