Community
Known for his focus on building a community through the sharing of food, Chef Greg got our group of young cooks thinking like a team and having fun working side-by-side in the kitchen.
Here at Sprouts, we don’t let a little drizzly weather get us down — we head straight to the kitchen to heat things up with classes led by our favorite chefs. Our culinary campers beat the June gloom by starting the week off cooking alongside Chef Greg Lutes in the 3rd Cousin kitchen.
This day of cooking was extra special because of Chef Greg’s ability to connect each of our culinary tasks to different aspects of science, math, and biology — after all, cooking has countless applications to life outside the kitchen. From weighing and measuring ingredients to learning the chemical function of yeast, Chef Greg kept campers on their toes with questions that made them understand the reasoning behind each step in a recipe.
So what was on the menu for Sprouts campers? Creamy corn chowder and a seasonally sweet cake of blueberries and strawberries took center stage — of course, this fruity dessert wouldn’t be complete without a generous pile of whipped cream on top.
If you’re wishing you could jump in the culinary action with our campers, we don’t blame you! The good news is that these recipes come right from the 3rd Cousin kitchen and are Chef Greg-approved! You can feed your culinary curiosity at home with these seasonal summer recipes for a taste of the adventure that Sprouts campers had in the kitchen this week. But don’t let your cooking explorations stop here — a visit to 3rd Cousin is the perfect way to introduce you to all of the gourmet goodness that Chef Greg and his team are cooking up in the kitchen. When you join the 3d Cousin community of diners, you become part of the family; and believe us, you won’t want to miss a single bite!
Sweet Corn Chowder
3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 stalks celery
1 cup chopped Padron Peppers
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (thaw if frozen)
3 cups whole milk
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup heavy cream
Finely chopped green onion for serving
Directions
Place the bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy (about 7 to 10 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon to a small paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the onion to the bacon fat, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened (about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, place 1 cup of the corn and 1 cup of the milk in a blender and blend until smooth; set aside.
Increase the heat to medium high, add the corn-milk purée, the remaining 2 cups of corn, 2 cups of milk, potatoes, and measured salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just cooked through and the soup has thickened slightly (about 10 minutes). Add the cream, stir to combine, and return to a simmer.
Berry Cobbler Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 cups halved or quartered strawberries (depending on their size)
2 cups blueberries
1/3-1/2 cup sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each, then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir by hand or beat on low speed just until combined; the batter will be thick. Spread into a 9″x13″ pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, and scatter the fruit over top. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 45-50 minutes, until the cake is golden and the cakey parts springy to the touch.