The Spanish Way with Vegetables: Spring - Online

This is a live, interactive, hands-on cooking class held online via Zoom. See our registration policies here. Please register in advance of the event so we can communicate important class information.

Let’s celebrate the stars of spring produce with a Spanish flair; not to worry, this annual class has new recipes. Cooking seasonally means getting produce at its freshest and with the best flavor, which makes us truly enjoy our food and become appreciative of what and when we have it. 

We will work with artichokes (Barcelona's star product), spring leaves such as little gem lettuce or endive, and fava beans. Cleaning artichokes with other cooks feels better than doing it alone, so we can all enjoy the ephemeral tenderness of a baby artichoke. April is THE month for cooking with fava beans, while they are still small and tender. Luckily, the dressing for the salad can be used flexibly year-round.     

Besides delicious food, here's what you can expect from an online class with Camila: Chef Camila has a broadcast-quality multi-camera setup with professional microphone and lighting, creating top notch video quality. Some visuals and graphics are included for clarity and visual aid. The class is fully interactive; Camila can see your home setup and respond to questions in real time on substitutions, cookware, technique, and the recipe. Classes are paced so that you can cook along in real time, or, if you prefer, sit back, watch, enjoy, and learn. Registrants will have access to the class video to rewatch as many times as your heart desires! Click here to see a sample video of what to expect in class.

Celebrate the flavors of Spring with Camila!

MENU

Fava Bean Omelet: in Spain, we eat omelets all year and every time of the day: for breakfast, lunch, dinner, as a snack. In Catalonia, always with pa amb tomaquet (bread with tomato). They are never just plain egg (that is called a French Omelet in Spain). Though the national Spanish omelet is made with potatoes, throughout the year we use seasonal vegetables to make tortillas (omelets). The fava bean one is special to April because this is when they are tender enough to be used in the pod. If you can't find them, sub for sugar snap peas just as well. In Spain we also have high-quality preserved fava beans in oil; well-drained, these work just as well. 

Artichoke Chips with Black Garlic Romesco: this one is a shining star. Barcelona grows artichokes locally and they are fabulous at this time of year. Make sure to use baby artichokes for this one. Romesco sauce is probably my favorite recipe from the traditional Catalan repertoire; its nutty goodness makes everything taste better but I often end up eating it spooned on bread or just with a spoon! Make a big batch, you won't regret it. This variation uses black garlic instead of regular roasted garlic, a twist which adds even more sweetness to the dish. My version also happens to be gluten free, which is not traditional as most recipes use stale bread (as per the very typical Mediterranean recycling technique), which we sub here for extra nuts (or a GF bread if you prefer). 

Little Gem Salad with Warm Garlic Dressing: spring is synonymous with leaves. Here you can opt for little gems or endives, or really any leaf that you think will stand up to this amazing dressing. We offer a version with anchovies, because we love them, and urge you to try as well! 

Equipment and Ingredient list can be found here!

This menu contains the following common allergens: Fish (optional, you can remove anchovies), Egg, Tree Nuts. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions that concern your ability to cook along, please e-mail info@18reasons.org before purchasing a ticket.

Let’s Cook Together!

If you’re new to 18 Reasons Online, please read this guide: How to Take an Online Class at 18 Reasons. Five calendar days before class, 18 Reasons may decide to cancel this class if not enough tickets are sold. We will notify registrants by email about cancellations.

Camila Loew holds a Ph.D. in Humanities and is a certified nutrition consultant. Having lived alongside the Mediterranean for almost two decades, she believes that the best cooking relies on simple recipes with outstanding ingredients. That's the Mediterranean way she conveys in her classes, along with the concept of sobremesa, which happens to be the name of the company she runs. Sobremesa is the leisurely time we spend gathered around the table. In addition to running Sobremesa Culinary Tours, through which she offers delicious cultural and culinary experiences abroad for fellow food-lovers, Camila founded and directs the Food Studies & Gastronomy program at the University of Barcelona, and teaches academically about Mediterranean food culture to American students abroad. Since 2014, Camila has been sharing her love of regional Spanish and Mediterranean cuisines at 18 Reasons. For more information visit her website www.sobremesa.life

_{Photo credit: Camila Loew}