DIASPORA DINING with Chef Gabriela Álvarez

We are back with our cooking series, DIASPORA DINING! On Monday, February 22, we will have Chef Gabriela Álvarez from Liberation Cuisine, showing us how to make Vegan Canoas!

Chef Gabriela Alvarez, a former Royce Fellow, is a culinary artist whose cooking classes center food as resiliency and honor traditional food preparations. The kitchen became Gabriela’s way to tackle health disparities and food system inequalities while maintaining a focus on individual agency. Check out Gabriela’s special menu designed for us to enjoy an all-day food healing experience!

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VEGAN CANOAS

Ingredients

2 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 bunch Collard Greens, thin slice

1 Sweet Onion, dice

1 head Garlic, mince

1 cup Veggie Broth

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

8 ounce Cremini Mushroom, thin slice

1 bunch Thyme

4 Sweet Plantain, peeled

Salt to taste

Procedure

1. In a medium saute pan, heat one tablespoon olive oil.

2. Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

4. Add collard greens and saute for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add broth and smoked paprika. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. 

6. In another small saute pan, heat one tablespoon olive oil.

7. Add mushroom and thyme. Cook for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are soft. 

8. In a deep fry pan, heat 3-4 cup of frying oil.

9. Add plantain and fry until golden brown on all sides. 

10. Carefully remove plantain and slice down the middle to create

Gabriela Álvarez is a culinary artist. She began cooking after studying Community Health at Brown University. There she was a Royce Fellow and was introduced to community supported agriculture. The kitchen became her way to tackle health disparities and food system inequalities while maintaining a focus on individual agency. 

In 2012 Gabriela became the Health & Wellness Coordinator of El Puente’s Green Light District in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. During her time there she became a Global Justice Trainer and started a Culinary Apprentice Program for high school students. Gabriela’s cooking classes center food as resiliency and honor traditional food preparations.

Gabriela founded Liberation Cuisine in 2104 with the intention of nourishing movements of change with sustainable ingredients and just business practices. Liberation Cuisine caters for grassroots organizations, farms, healing spaces, artist collectives, funders, and community events. Liberation Cuisine is expected to open a food stall at Smorgasburg in 2020. 

Gabriela became the Kitchen Manager at Soul Fire Farm in 2015, where she continues to cook for the Black and Latinx Immersion Program with ingredients directly from the farm. Since then she has also offered plant-based and culturally relevant meals at retreats for mediation and trainings.