Cooking Up Change for CPS

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Some creative Chicago students are putting their culinary skills to the test in the Healthy Schools Campaign's Cooking Up Change competition and fundraising gala. The student chefs will present their meals to judges on November 16, 2017 at the Skyline Lofts at Bridgeport Art Center. The challenge: create delicious school meals that their peers will enjoy, while also adhering to strict nutritional guidelines and a tight budget. The winning team's dishes will be served at all Chicago Public Schools the following semester. The winning students also receive and all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. in June 2018 to compete in the national competition. Jerricka Hightie from Juarez Community Academy and Chef Mark Steuer, who is opening a new restaurant called Funkenhausen and is judging the competition, joined ABC 7 to talk about Cooking Up Change and what it means for CPS.

Event: Cooking Up Change Competition & Fundraising Gala

Date: November 16, 2017

Hours: 6-10 p.m.

Address: Skyline Lofts at Bridgeport Art Center - 1200 W. 35th St., Chicago, IL 60609

Admission/ Ticket Prices: $100 - to support CPS students

For more info, visit, CookingUpChange.org

Links: http://www.CookingUpChange.org, https://www.funkenhausen.com/

RECIPES:

Roasted chicken thigh and farro with fall vegetables

Start to Finish: 35 minutes, plus overnight soaking

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

3 ounces farro, soaked overnight

1 bone-in chicken thigh

2 ounces onion, diced large

2 ounces butternut or acorn squash, diced large

2 ounces tart apple, diced large

1 teaspoon butter

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Strain farro from water. In a saucepan over high heat, add farro and cover with water. Bring to a simmer, then cover pot and turn down to low. Cook on low for 15 minutes, then remove and continue to cook on low until all liquid is evaporated. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Season chicken thigh with salt and pepper. In an oven safe skillet over high heat, add oil and chicken skin side down until skin begins to crisp, about 4 minutes. Once crisp, place in oven and cook part way, about six minutes. Remove from oven, flip chicken and add onion After 6 min, flip the chicken thigh and add diced onion, squash and apple to the pan and season lightly with salt. Place pan back in oven until chicken is cooked through, about six minutes.

Remove chicken thigh from pan and set aside. Add cooked farro to pan with squash, apple and onion. Add butter and gently stir to incorporate until a "risotto" consistency, about 5 minutes.

To serve, place farro risotto on a plate and top with chicken.