Gabriela Àlvarez is the chef and founder of Liberation Cuisine. Liberation Cuisine was founded in 2014 with the intention of nourishing movements for social change, using sustainable ingredients and practices. Gabriela began cooking after studying Community Health at Brown University. The kitchen became her way to tackle health disparities and inequalities in the food system, while still maintaining a focus on self-determination and ancestral healing practices. Gabriela cooks almost exclusively for people doing justice work in the world: activists, artists, healers, farmers, educators, and more. Her menus are Puerto Rican centered and highlight ingredients that are local and seasonal to where she's cooking. She has cooked for Soul Fire Farm’s Black and Latinx Farmer Immersion Programs, as well as Harriet’s Apothecary Healing Villages, Bedstuy Pride, and Race Forward's Racial Justice Trainings. Gabriela also teaches cooking classes dedicated to food as resiliency, and honoring traditional food preparations.
Mushroom, Lentil and Farro Soup
(No Oil or Salt)
8 cups mushrooms, sliced (I used Portobello stems leftover from another recipe)
2 large onion, chopped fine
3 celery, chopped fine
4 cups diced carrots
¾ cup Marsala Wine
3 Tbs. minced garlic
22 cups water
2 cups French lentils (also known as Le Puy Lentils)
2 cups faro
4 Bay leaves
2 Tbs. Nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. thyme
½ t. celery seed
1 Tbs. Oregano
2-1/2 t. pepper
3 Tbs. lemon Juice
In large stock pot, sauté onions dry, without any oil. As it begins to stick to bottom of
pan, add 1 Tbs. of water at a time to deglaze the pan, and to caramelize the onions.
Add the carrots, celery and garlic, and continue cooking, adding 1 Tbs at a time of
water as needed. When soft, add the mushrooms, and continue sautéing. At this point,
add 2 Tbs. of the Marsala wine and cook until the wine is evaporated. Repeat until all
of the wine is absorbed into the vegetables. Then add the lentils, farro and water, and
bring to a boil. Add the herbs and nutritional yeast. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover
pot and cook for 40 minutes. Add the lemon juice and taste.
Adjust the spices to your liking. Serve with a wedge of lemon .
Fresh parsley or dill is also a nice addition.