Kitchen Humanities: Spring Roasted Vegetables and Gremolata
Summary
In this 7th grade humanities lesson, students roast fall vegetables and explore how roasting enhances flavor through caramelization. Students eat the roasted vegetables with a Gremolata sauce.
Objectives
After this lesson, students will be able to:
- apply a cooking method without a recipe
- taste ingredients and adjust a recipe accordingly
- learn a simple and versatile sauce
Assessments
During this lesson, students will:
- wash, cut, season, and roast seasonal vegetables
- demonstrate their tasting skills by adapting the Gremolata recipe to their taste
- brainstorm other uses for the Gremolata sauce
Materials
For the Chef Meeting
- Gremolata recipe
- Ingredients and tools for demonstration
- Visual aid
Ingredients
- Seasonal vegetables
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lavash
For the Gremolata
- ½ cup Italian parsley leaves
- 1 small clove of garlic
- Zest of 1 small lemon
Tools
- Chef knives
- Paring knives
- Crinkle cutter
- Cutting boards
- Sheet pans
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Parchment paper
- Zester
- Mortar and pestle
Equipment
- Oven
- Blender
Before You Begin
- Collect all the tools and ingredients, and then distribute them to the tables
- Gather the supplies for the Chef Meeting
- Create the visual aid
- Copy the Gremolata recipe to hand out
Procedures
At the Chef Meeting
At the Table
- Meet with the table groups to introduce the ingredients, review the recipe, and assign jobs.
- Prepare the vegetables.
- While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the Gremolata recipe.
- Set the table.
- Eat.
- Clean up.
At the Closing Circle
What was your favorite roasted vegetable?