by Crystal Schlueter
I often get asked, “What do you do with all that food?” or “Who eats all that food?” As a part-time recipe developer, these questions are always a surprise, as I usually only share one recipe per week. Most people cook at least once per week, so I do what most people do. I usually eat some after making it or take it to work for lunch the next couple of days, then the rest gets stored in my freezer.
Full-time recipe developers usually make at least one recipe per day, and those who work for big companies will often make five to six recipes per day. There are usually other staff members who taste or take home any excess. They also commonly use non-edible ingredients to make the food look fresher, like spraying vegetables with glycerine or using craft putty to prop up ingredients, in which case the food is not eaten.
When I have excess or if I make something that won’t freeze well or if it has an ingredient I don’t like, I give it to family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors. Ingredients are expensive, so I do have to be mindful of how much I give away. While I don’t enjoy wasting food, some does get thrown away. What most people don’t know is that recipe development is not always a quick process.
Due to my schedule, I occasionally have to make a recipe at night. Since I use natural lighting for photography, I may have to wait a few days until my schedule is free and the lighting is good. While I try to keep most of my photos simple, for more complex shots, like when I do shoots for magazines, I have to take many photos. In these circumstances, the food may be sitting out for several hours and is no longer safe to eat.
Roasted Kale and Quinoa
Salad
Ingredients:
1 small bunch of chopped fresh kale, stems and thick ribs removed
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 pinches of salt, divided
Juice of 2 large lemons
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh dill, lightly packed
1 small clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked lentils
1 English cucumber, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion (light and dark green parts)
1 container vegan feta, drained
1/2 cup golden raisins
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the kale with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Scatter the kale over a large sheet pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp, stirring halfway through baking time. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, dill, garlic, oregano, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Add the quinoa, lentils, cucumber, green onion, feta, and raisins. Toss gently. Stir in the kale.
Yield: 6 servings
Notes:
Vegan feta is available at the Babbitt and Ely Zup’s locations. If preferred, you can use regular crumbled feta. I like to roast the kale because it gives a deeper flavor to the salad. It does soften up if mixed into the salad ahead of serving time. If you wish to keep it crispy, store separately and crumble a handful over each salad at serving time. I recommend cooking the lentils until they are tender but still slightly firm, as they add a nutty texture to the salad.
