Each month the Dennis Small Cultural Center invites the “foodies” of CU to stretch their culinary imaginations and leave with happy stomachs and tons of leftovers.
This month the class focused on women’s history, so chocolate was a necessity.
Junior Emma Castleberry, a 20-year-old news-editorial major, coordinated the event.
“We have cooking classes, dance classes, and film screenings every Wednesday,” Castleberry said. “This week we’re celebrating women, and women love chocolate.”
And chocolate was not the only thing on the menu. Students of all skill levels banded together to create an enormous amount of black bean chili with butternut squash and Swiss chard. The spices of this vegan dish blended together to form a delicious stew served over brown rice, with an added punch from the chili powder.
Chef Robin Margolin said she chose the recipe for its color.
“When you’re cooking, always go for color, color is healthy,” Margolin said, explaining the vast array of colorful veggies on the cooking board. “Also, recent studies have shown that cumin is a helpful spice in preventing cancer.”
Eve Slattery-Quintanilla, a 20-year-old sophomore majoring in Spanish, art and sociology, said she was no stranger to spicy food.
“My parents both cooked, and I got my love for cooking from them,” Slattery-Quintanilla said, “My dad is Hispanic and cooks a lot of Mexican food.”
After enormous amounts of chili was passed around, the students moved on to dessert, which is where the chocolate made its debut.
Margolin had the class prepare individual molten chocolate cakes, and they literally oozed with rich chocolate. No student left unhappy.
Jennifer Ryu, a 24-year-old graduate student studying mechanical engineering, said she particularly enjoyed the class.
“I usually cook dishes I know how to cook, and I rarely experiment,” Ryu said. ”However, I am experimental when it comes to eating. Food is my de-stresser. It always cheers me up.”
Hungry? Here’s the chili recipe:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 ½ Cups Chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 ½ Cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Teaspoons ground cumin
3 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 ½ Cups vegetable broth
1 14 ½ oz can dice tomatoes in juice
3 cups chopped Swiss chard
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, sauté until golden and tender, about nine minutes. Add squash and stir two minutes. Then, stir in spices. Add beans, broth and tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in chard, and simmer until tender but still bright green, about four minutes. Season to taste, ladle into bowls, serve hot.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Susan Gonch at Susan.gonch@colorado.edu.
