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Cooking
Passion
 Cooking
is a passion for Tenison Woods College Home Economics
teachers, Sarah Lynch and Kirby Lepley. Both grew up in
rural communities helping their parents out in the kitchen,
developing such enjoyment from the pastime, that they have
made it their career.
At
Tenison Woods College for 2 years, Miss Lynch & Miss Lepley
teach Home Economics to over 400 students, equipping them
with the necessary skills
required to understand and deal with a variety of topics and
aspects of everyday living including food and nutrition and
leading balanced lifestyles.
The
recent phenomena of cooking shows such as Master Chef,
Jamie’s Kitchen and Ready Steady Cook has made cooking a
popular pastime for young people and has seen the numbers of
student choosing cooking as a subject grow in recent months.
Particularly passionate about cooking for those with special
dietary needs and having been diagnosed with Coeliac’s
disease several years ago, Sarah realised the need to
develop recipes that were gluten free.
“Teaching
Home Economics to students from Year 8-12 we have focused on
catering for the wide range of dietary needs in their
classes and make sure students are aware of the different
needs of people with dietary diseases and disorders in
society including vegetarian options, gluten free, dairy
free, nut free and low GI meals.” Miss Lynch said.
Growing
up on a farm in the state’s Mid North, Sarah was introduced
to cooking at the tender age of 10 assisting her father with
feeding the farm hands in the Shearing sheds on her Stone
Hut property.
Miss
Lepley was born and raised in Penola where she developed a
love of sport and living an active lifestyle. She recognizes
the importance of good nutrition for optimum health. As a
result Miss Lepley develops units that teach the students
the importance of understanding nutrition and its impact in
their lives, as well as devising a range of healthy and
delicious recipes for them to prepare and introduce to their
families at home.
“It was
not until I had to move out of home at the age of 17 to
attend University in Adelaide that my real appreciation for
cooking began. From there my interest in cooking and
nutrition really developed and motivated me to teach
others.” Miss Lepley said.
“This
recipe is one our favourites, we have simply modified a
standard risotto recipe by adding our favourite ingredients
and made it our own.” said Miss Lepley.
Sarah and Kirby’s ‘Gluten Free Creamy Chicken Risotto’
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 6 cups gluten free chicken stock
• 40g butter
• 500g chicken breast fillets, cubed
• 200 g pumpkin, roasted
• 1 medium leek, trimmed, halved, washed, sliced
• 150 g bacon, diced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 – 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 150g baby spinach
• Pepper to taste
• 150 ml cream
• Pine nuts to serve
• Parmesan cheese to serve
Method
1. Prepare stock.
2. Meanwhile, melt half the butter in an electric
frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken, stirring
occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned and cooked
through. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil.
3. Cook chopped bacon until light brown. Remove from
heat.
4. Melt remaining butte, add chopped leek and
garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add
rice. Cook, stirring, for 3 - 4 minutes until rice begins to
become transparent. Add 1 ladle of stock to rice. Cook,
stirring with a wooden spoon, until liquid is absorbed.
Repeat with remaining stock, 1 ladle at a time.
5. Add chicken to rice mixture. Cook, stirring, for
2 minutes or until heated through. Add sundried tomato,
cooked bacon, pumpkin and spinach. Cook, stirring, for 1
minute or until spinach has wilted.
6. Stir through cream and serve with grated parmesan
cheese and pine nuts.
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