Neighborhood Eats: 'Emma's Torch' in Brooklyn
CARROLL GARDENS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- "Emma's Torch" is a restaurant that makes you feel good - not just from the food, but because of its mission.
The name plays off of the poem engraved on the Statue of Liberty by Emma Lazarus that reads, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses."
The founder merges her two passions: food and social justice. Kerry Brodie offers culinary training and job placement assistance for refugees and survivors of human trafficking.
They train in the kitchen for eight weeks, building skills and confidence. They're paid throughout the program and many workers end up working at terrific restaurants.
Emma's Torch is a non-profit restaurant, so money made goes back into the program. Talk about an incentive to eat!
You can find it at 345 Smith St. in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.
Emma's Torch Recipe: Roasted Squash with Herbs from Emma's Kitchen
Ingredients for plating:
2 tsp chives, chopped
2 tsp flat leaf parsley
2 tsp basil, sliced
1/4 cup walnuts
3 pieces of lettuce, preferably little gem or oak leaf
1 acorn squash. Sliced into long strips about 1 inch thick
1/4 cup crumbled feta, goat cheese of favorite soft white cheese
1/4 cup of balsamic vinaigrette (preferably homemade)
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Ingredients for Roasting:
3 sprigs of each: rosemary, sage, thyme
3 bay leafs
2 TBS olive oil
Pepper
Salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375
In a large bowl, mix roasting herbs, sliced squash with olive oil
Add salt and pepper to taste
Lay herbs out on roasting pan
Place sliced squash over herbs and roast 30 to 45 minutes or until squash is tender
Remove squash from roasting pan, discard roasting herbs
This dish is served at room temperature, so once squash cools, divide among two plates, or serve on a large platter. Add cheese and walnuts throughout. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette, basil, parsley and chives.
Serves 2 as an appetizer.
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