Angry Chef on the Road: Soma StrEAT Food Park, San Francisco

The Little Red Riding Truck

Food trucks are very popular lately, and for good reason. Quick and convenient, but fresh enough to distinguish themselves from stereotypes about "fast food." Food trucks push boundaries and create opportunities for us to find cuisine which might be uncommon in our local restaurants. These funky mobile kitchens offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and small business owners win by having the advantage of being able to travel to your customers instead of getting them to come to you.

But why can't we get the best of both worlds?! Imagine my disappointment when I arrive on a lunch break, cash in hand, to the spot where a truck used to be, only to find the teasing aroma of bacon guacamole grilled cheese still lingers long after everyone has moved on. Disappointment has never been so hungry!

Three thousand miles from my home in San Francisco, Soma StrEAT Food Park has the solution to my tardiness. It's the first permanent food truck pad in the city, the original go-to spot for those times when you want to get your friends to try some Peruvian ceviche, but you want some BBQ or even a mochi donut. You could never track down these many different dishes at once, and here they are, all parked in a circle around an inviting patio and a schoolbus-turned-party room. Their website advertises a rotating list of vendors, and on the foggy morning we decided to head over we found all of those things, plus German food Korean fusion, and bottomless mimosas. Yes, I mean bottomless - this was thoroughly tested.

Our first bite came from BOB CHA, a Korean food truck offering - wait, I can't bear to use the exhausted term fusion food. Really, it was mostly standard Korean flavors with some inventive delivery methods, making the food fun to eat but still satisfyingly familiar. Except the bacon fried rice. That part was just awesome.

Mandoooo potstickers in a saucy sea.

The Mandooo potstickers were rolled longer and thinner than others I've had, and they came smothered in sweet chili flavored "spicy sauce." We chose pork - most choices on their menu are available with a choice of chicken, pork, or bulgogi.

The coolest looking thing on the menu is the Bob Burrito - bulgogi, spicy bacon fried rice,  lettuce, egg, and kimchi all wrapped in a flour tortilla. Ours was huge and full of juicy, meaty, kimchi goodness. 

Also in the mix was the Little Red Riding Truck, serving up German food with sides of crunchy krautsalad. We shared some rich cheese spätzle - a type of egg noodle dish made by boiling the dumplings before frying them up for a little bit of texture.

Although our party was definitely slowing down (thanks in part to those bottomless mimosas), we opted for some schnitzel with bacon-fried potatoes. The meat was tender and the crust was so satisfying - especially with a drizzle of lemon juice! My only wish was for a the potatoes to have a little more texture - another couple minutes in the pan would have been perfect.

Our final stop was at El Calamar, a Peruvian truck whose tempting wares included lomo saltado (beef stir-fry) and a beef tripe and chicken gizzard dish for those who like a little experimental eating. We had a generous helping of ceviche, uniquely accentuated with baked sweet potato. I haven't had potato with ceviche before and was hesitant for a very brief second, but the sweetness of the potato is a wonderful compliment to the dish's acidity.

Last but not least comes papas rellenas, a traditional Peruvian stuffed potato dish. Ours had egg and ground beef. The precious few bites I had of this were heavenly - the texture of the potato is crispy on the outside and fluffy but not oily on the inside. Warm and toasty, and a perfect end to our food truck extravaganza. 

We had a great time at the park and left almost-too-full. If you find yourself in San Francisco, be sure to check out Soma StrEAT Food Park's ever-changing lineup. You can find them on Facebook with a list of their latest vendors, or on their website. We'll be sure to make this a routine stop next time we're in the Bay area!

Crispy Fried Capers

I love fried capers. If we're being honest, I love them more than their un-fried brethren. Raw capers are pickled and tend to have a briny, overpowering flavor. A few too many in a pasta carbonara, and the subtler flavors of the dish are washed away in a sea of acid. 

As if by magic, just a few minutes in hot oil transforms these little guys into something special. Now the persistent vinegar flavor is calmed and contained by the crispy outer shell. Every bud packs a powerful explosion of salt and vinegar-y goodness, perfect for lightening creamy white wine-based dishes and seafood of all kinds. You can use them to brighten up the flavors in steak tartare, or throw 'em on top of a fresh salad. We've used them before, in our smoked salmon Mother's Day brunch. 

These are so easy to make, and their addition to any classic dish is not easily forgotten. One of the greatest lessons of my career thus far is that simplicity often goes farther than one might think. In the words of my mentors: "Don't overthink it, stupid."

So here it is, nice and simple. 

Crispy Fried Capers
When I use fried capers, I usually only use a few pinches, so for this recipe we are using an 1/8th cup. You can fry as many as you would like as long as they are broken up into small batches.

• 1/8 cup capers
• 1/4 cup vegetable or peanut oil (enough to coat a small frying pan)

Dry your capers with a paper towel and set aside.

Heat oil on medium-high heat. I used a smaller frying pan to do this, but a deep fryer at 350º will also work.

Drop in capers - watch the splatter! Fry for 2-3 minutes until they have crisped up and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.


That's it! Easy right? On this particular day, I added my crispy fried capers to some seared cod sandwiches. A squeeze of lemon and we're good to go!

Fish 'n Cheese: Seared Salmon and Pepper Chèvre

Fish and cheese is an often under-appreciated combination. Sure, you'll throw some on a tuna sandwich, but when was the last time you sprinkled parmesan on your baked stuffed whitefish? If such a combination is new for you, we have just the recipe to get you started. This summery pasta dish combines the crispy seared salmon with creamy goat cheese, all on top of some more cheesy pasta. Tomatoes, spinach, and herbs lend texture and the flavors are enhanced with a squeeze of lemon juice at the finish. A crowd pleaser for sure!

Fish 'n Cheese: Seared Salmon and Pepper Chèvre

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tbsp garlic shallot mix
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 handfuls raw spinach
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano
• 8 oz flat pasta
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• 1/2 cup cream
• 3/4 cup aged manchego cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz goat cheese (we used Sgt. Pepper from Cypress Grove Chevre, a peppery cheese from one of our favorite companies.)
• squeeze of lemon

Cook pasta and reserve water. 

Preheat oven to 500° F

Season raw salmon with salt and pepper.

Heat saute pan on medium high heat with 2 tbsp oil until smoking. Place salmon skin side down and cook until skin is evenly dark brown and crispy. 2/3 of the salmon will have changed color, which is how you know you can flip it. Place in oven for 3-5 minutes. 

Heat a second saute pan with 2 tbsp oil until smoking. Add garlic-shallot mix and spinach. Once spinach has wilted, add white wine and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Add herbs and cooked pasta. Toss and add cream, parmesan cheese, and manchego cheese. Add tomatoes, then salt, pepper to taste.

Top salmon with a dollop of goat cheese and a squeeze of lemon. Garnish with herbs and parmesan cheese. 

Crispy Pork Belly + Creamy Black Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

We're baaaaack!

We had a great month travelling around Boston, then California. We saw some great friends and family - and of course, we ate some great food. Hang tight, I'm working on a review of our favorites for all of you.

In the meantime, we want to share this pork and quinoa recipe with you. Quinoa is a very versatile grain-like ingredient, used often in salads or paired with a protein/veggie combo. You can even make quinoa smoothies! It's seen a surge in popularity in recent years, and the price has tripled due to high demand in the Western world. In fact, the UN recently named 2013 as the International Year of Quinoa. Our quinoa obsession is due in part to the food's numerous health benefits - it's full of lysine, calcium, phosphorous, and iron. As its popularity increases, however, concerns have sparked about the impact of increased demand on the availability of the crop to citizens of countries which grow it - Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, and others.

There are multiple varieties of quinoa, each with its own color and flavor. For this recipe, I used black quinoa simply because I had it on hand. The quinoa and sweet potato salad in this recipe is vegetarian friendly,  but we have some crispy pork belly to top the whole thing if you're so inclined.

Black Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad
Serves 3-4

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups light cream
• 1 cup black quinoa
• 1 Carrot
• 1 sweet potato
• 1/8 cup maple syrup
• 3 tbsp vegetable (or peanut or canola) oil
• Shaved romano or parmesan cheese (optional, but seriously who doesn't want cheese?)
• Salt + pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut carrots and sweet potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Add maple syrup and toss until the vegetables are coated. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or use a baker's mat. The idea here is not to let the maple syrup ruin your baking sheet).
Add salt and pepper
Bake about 30 minutes until tender. Stab 'em with a fork to see if they're soft enough. Set aside.

While your vegetables are roasting, bring water to a boil and add quinoa. Remember cooking quinoa is like cooking rice, not pasta - if you add too much water you're going to have a soupy mess. Reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for at least 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat 2-3 tbsp of oil on medium-high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the cooked carrots and sweet potatoes. Spread them out but don't stir or toss them until you see a little char on the bottom. Add light cream and bring to a simmer. Add quinoa and stir it up, then remove from the heat.


Crispy Pork Belly

• 2-3 tbsp vegetable (or peanut or canola) oil
• As many 1/4 inch thick or thinner strips of uncured pork belly as your heart desires 
• Salt + pepper

Note: If your pork belly is thicker than 1/4 inch, we highly recommend slicing it about as thick as  a nice thick-cut bacon strip. Thicker cuts of pork belly will need to be braised in the oven before frying to make the fat tender. By slicing it thinly you're effectively creating uncured bacon, which will fry up nicely. 

Season the pork bellies with salt and pepper. You can keep them in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

In a medium skillet heat oil on medium-high head until smoking. Place the in the pan (be careful of oil splashes!) and cook about 2 minutes per side.

If you've worked with pork belly before, you can "cook by color" here - keep them in the pan until you get the color you want on each side. Personally, I like my pork medium-rare to medium. The days of overcooked pork for fear of trichinosis are behind us, people!



The Angry Chef is a tiny family operation and many of our original recipes are hot off the press. Have you made this or anything else featured on the blog? Let us know here - we want your feedback!

Not your Grandma's: Brisket with butternut squash lentils and slow-cooked mustard sauce

We've been saving this triple-decker recipe for a while. Now seemed like a good time to share - we're happily on vacation in Boston, and heading to California at the end of the week.

I promise I will take a picture of my favorite burrito and share it with all of you. Plus there will be plenty of Filipino recipes from my family, who seem to have a constant stream of pancit and lumpia coming our way. I'm looking forward to documenting some of my favorite recipes from childhood, and sharing them here. Once I've had my way with them, of course.

In the meantime, enjoy this three-in-one recipe collection that works together or separately. Brisket in a slow cooker is incredibly easy. Set it and forget it. Is that a slogan for something?

For our vegetarian friends as a solo dish or for a meat-supporting side dish, the butternut squash lentils are creamy and comforting. To top it all off, I made a slow-cooked mustard sauce using the vegetables reserved from the brisket - a nice way to recycle what you make.

Enjoy! We're coming at you next from California!

Slow Cooker Brisket

• ~ 3.5 - 4 lbs brisket
• 2 yellow onions
• 2 carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 4 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tbsp savory (substitute thyme if necessary)
• 1/2 tbsp pepper
• 1/2 tbsp salt

Rough chop all vegetables.

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.


Butternut Squash Lentils

• 1lb (1 package) lentils
• 1 tbsp bacon fat or butter 
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup roasted butternut squash, cubed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt + pepper

Cover lentils and bacon fat with water and boil 15-20 minutes until tender. Strain and set aside.

Add vegetable oil to a hot pan and let sit until it starts to smoke.

Add carrots and roasted squash, stirring occasionally. Let a few sides brown or even caramelize (about 5 minutes of no stirring).

Add lentils and heavy cream. Reduce heat to simmer and cook about 5 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste.


Honey-Mustard Vegetable Sauce

• 2 cups reserved and strained vegetables (from the slow cooker)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and GO!  

After about 10-15 seconds, stop the blender and stir. Repeat until smooth.

This sauce is customizable - play around with the flavors until you arrive at something awesome. Try adding more dijon, honey or hot sauce.

Cooking with Malissa

If it seems like we've been a little quiet lately, it's because we're going on an adventure! For the next month, we'll be travelling to Boston, San Francisco, and wherever else we'd like to visit! That means fewer posts, but we'll be sure to chronicle our adventures in food along the way.

To be honest, I'm most looking forward to an In-n-Out burger with some animal style fries. Can't blame me for having my priorities straight.

Anyway, I thought I'd take time to tell you about a really great day we spent cooking with a talented aspiring chef and her amazing family.

You might remember Malissa was the winner of our 100 Fan Cookbook Giveaway a while back. We were so excited to hear that Malissa is hoping to become a chef herself, and we figured it would be fun to spend some time cooking together. We had a hungry crowd too! Malissa's whole family have been friends of ours for a long time, and it was our pleasure to feed them all. We let Malissa choose one of her favorite recipes, and Kevin showed her how to spice it up and cook for a crowd.

Let's begin! Kevin and Malissa are ready for action!

Malissa manages the mise en place and shows off some fennel fronds.

The Menu

• Fresh-baked crusty bread

• Roasted eggplant caprese salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

• Chicken cacciatore (original recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, modifications by us!)

I'm not ashamed to say I ate SO MUCH OF THIS.

First, some home-made bread! This recipe from the Bread in 5 is a game-changer. We've made it so many times, and every time it comes out with perfect fluffy bread inside an incredible thick crust. No cup of water in the oven, no nothin'. Awwyeaaaah!

Do you prefer sliced or chunky?

I took a break from taking crazy amounts of photos to put together a roasted eggplant caprese salad. This is a great appetizer, and a tribute to my own evolving passion for food. Roasting vegetables was one of the first things I learned to do, and I was proud to see myself able to create something delicious and visually appealing. See Kevin, I'm learning too!

You can find my recipe for roasted vegetables here (and a lemony version here), and all you need to do to make this salad is combine the roasted eggplant slices with tomato and creamy mozzarella, all cut to the same thickness. Don't forget fresh basil leaves, and don't skimp out by cutting these into super thin slices. I love getting a nice full basil leaf when I put the mozzarella and tomato on my plate. It's all about the ratios, you know. 

Sear those suckers!

Now for the main course! Kevin and Malissa changed up the recipe a bit. While the original version had nothing but chicken and sauce, they added egg noodles to hold on to some of the sauce and make a heartier dish. Also, no capers. (If you do want to add some like the recipe calls for, try deep frying them first! Way better!)

If you ask Kevin's opinion, he'll tell you that a light sear is a half-assed sear. Instead of sautéing the chicken until brown, Kevin showed Malissa that a nice hard sear will bring out the most texture and flavor. In a saucy dish, hard sears will soften just enough, and you won't get stuck with rubbery chicken skin. Everyone wins.

There was no cheese in the original recipe, and that's just unacceptable as far as we're concerned. Seriously, how does any self-respecting Italian forget the pasta and cheese? We used shaved Romano and topped the whole dish with fennel fronds for garnish. Perfetto!

Chicken Cacciatore ala Malissa!

Needless to say Malissa and Kevin did a tremendous job, and all of us had a blast. It's such a great feeling to watch food bring people together in so many ways, whether it's a learning experience or an experience for your tastebuds. We wish Malissa tremendous luck in her future career - we can't wait to cook with her again!

Compliments to the chefs!

A job well done!

Ricotta Gnocchi with Roasted Tomato and Tarragon

I really have to remember to post that bread recipe. Life changing, I promise.

Ask and ye shall receive. Our Facebook friends requested more vegetarian recipes, and we have delivered! This two-part recipe takes inspiration from Caseus Fromagerie and Bistro, a great restaurant in New Haven and Kevin's current place of employment. We used their ricotta gnocchi recipe and dressed it up Angry Chef style to create a hearty bowl of comforting cheesy goodness.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Roasted Tomato and Tarragon

Step 1. Make the Gnocchi
We made our gnocchi using this recipe from the Caseus Cookbook
(Feeds 6-8)

• 4 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1.5 lbs fresh ricotta cheese
• 2.5 cups sifted flour
• 2 cups flour to roll out pasta

In a bowl, mix the eggs and egg yolks. Once combined, add ricotta and mix.

Add sifted flour, using a wooden spoon, and combine - you want the dough to be a gooey consistency and not overworked.

Gather up the dough into a ball with floured hands and roll out into a rope or snake shape about the diameter of a quarter. The dough should be sticky, do not overuse the bench flour or overwork this dough. Using a small knife, cut the rope into 1 inch "pillows"

Drop the "pillows" into a pot of boiling salted water. Remove the gnocchi 10 seconds after they begin to float to the top of the pot. Drain them, toss them with a little olive oil, and reserve in a bowl or on a sheet pan.


Step 2. Make the Gnocchi Into Something Else

• 8 Tomatoes, quartered
• 4 tbsp oil
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 batch cooked ricotta gnocchi
• 2 tbsp tarragon
• 4 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup water or favorite stock
• 2 cup heavy cream
• 2 small handful fresh kale

Roast tomatoes at 500 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft.  Set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat 4 tbsp oil on medium high heat until smoking. Add garlic and wait a few seconds before adding tomatoes. Sear tomatoes, then stir. 

Add gnocchi, tarragon, nutmeg, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir, then cook for 1 minute. Add parmesan cheese and water or stock. Bring to a simmer and add cream and kale. Stir.


Do you have any other ideas for dishes we should feature on The Angry Chef Blog? Contact us here and tell us all about it.

OH $%#$@# DID YOU FORGET MOTHER'S DAY?

We got you covered. This is what you need for a last minute brunch:

• Bagels
• Smoked salmon
• Avocado
• Whipped cream cheese
• Capers (Deep fry them. Seriously you'll thank me later)
• Red onions
• Tomatoes
• Fresh blueberries would be nice
• Orange juice - don't forget that champagne!

P.S. Hi to all our new readers from Reddit! We're glad you're here.

Don't forget to like us on facebook and visit again soon!

Light Lunch: Bacon vinaigrette on fig and goat cheese salad

First, some news! Big changes are coming our way. We'll be moving later this month, so things might get a bit hectic. We'll do our best to keep the posts coming during the next couple weeks, and we're really looking forward to a fresh start in the Boston area! Don't worry, we'll make it up to you.

Also, we recently spent an evening cooking with the winner of our first cookbook giveaway. What a great day, and what a great meal! Malissa's chicken cacciatore was delicious, and I admit I went crazy with the pictures. Post coming soon!

Get to the food already: Okay, okay. Next time you're cooking up some bacon, save the fat! There are lots of ways you can use your leftover grease. One of our favorites is this killer bacon vinaigrette, lightened with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. We had it with a fig and goat cheese salad for a quick lunch on a spring day.

Bacon Vinaigrette
(makes 1/2 cup)

• 2.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2.5 tbsp bacon fat
• 1 tsp garlic and shallot mix (minced)
• salt and pepper to taste
• mix
• add 1/2 tsp lemon

Combine all ingredients and mix! Our salad was mixed artisan greens, roasted almonds, fresh figs, Cypress Grove Herbs de Humboldt goat cheese, and more BACON!

 Toss dressing with salad to coat evenly, if you're serving family style. Bask in bacon-y satisfaction.

Lookin' good!

We're doing some spring cleaning around here. 

Take a look at our new banner! Not too shabby.

Also check out our new contact page. 

We included a form so that you can share any comments, questions, or requests with us. 

Thanks for supporting The Angry Chef!

Lemon Roasted Okra

Spring is coming, and as it gets warmer I like to incorporate citrus into my cooking. It's a nice way to transition from hearty winter fare into something a little lighter.

This is the kind of recipe that you learn to build your cooking skills with. All of the ingredients above are approximate. You can add as little or as much of each as you like.

If you're a salt nut, have at it. If you like the contrast between the earthy okra and the citrusy lemon, use more juice and make it taste exactly how you'd like. Use cayenne instead of paprika. The possibilities are endless. Even the cooking time for this dish can vary. The longer you roast, the more the sticky stuff inside the okra will dry out.

Don't be afraid to play around with any recipe like this - add small amounts until you get it just right. If you over-do something, don't panic and dilute it with a little more olive oil.


Lemon Roasted Okra
All of the following amounts are approximate! 

• 20-25 okra pods
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1-2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 lemon's juice

Clean the okra and cut the top off the each pod. Slice about 1/2 inch thick.

Coat slices with olive oil (about 1-2 tbsp)

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Drizzle with lemon juice.

Roast at 450 for about 10-15 minutes

Eating Together: Seafood Paella

Sharing food means so much more than just that. When we eat together, we are sharing something special, a unique and unpredictable experience of combined sensory stimulation and human interaction. There's a lot that gets lost in our culture of quick and convenient dining. In the spirit of spending time with our food, families and friends, here's a recipe for paella - a favorite family-style dish.

There are many different types of paella, each featuring multiple beasts including rabbit, chicken, duck, fish, mussels, shrimp, and even snails. This recipe is a cost-effective and simplified version of the classic Spanish seafood dish. The multiple proteins makes it a bit more involved, and perfect for anyone looking to step up their cooking skills.

Set aside a couple hours, grab a couple friends, and get at it.


Seasoned Rice
(yield: about 4 cups)
This rice is great on its own and as a base for a variety of dishes. For paella (and many other rice-based recipes) it's a good idea to make your rice the night before. I find that cooking with rice turns out best when the rice is at least 12 hours old and cooled to room temperature. 

• 2 cups rice
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 3.5 cups chicken stock
• Salt + pepper to taste

In a rice cooker, combine all ingredients.

Make rice.


Simple Seafood Paella
(yield: 4-6 servings)
Let's spice up this rice.

• 2 cans (10 oz) crab meat (drained and liquid reserved)
• 20 medium-small shrimp (peeled and shells reserved)
• 10-15 mussels 
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 bell or poblano peppers (diced)
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 6oz red sofrito cooking base
• 2 cups water
• About 4 cups seasoned rice

Make a quick seafood stock by combining shrimp shells with water and reserved crab liquid. Boil for 5 minutes and strain.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Saute garlic.

Add peppers and onions. Cook 2 minutes without stirring to get a little crisp on the bottom.

Add shrimp and crab. Cook 2 minutes without stirring (make sure all ingredients are evenly spread).

Add sofrito and stir until everything is evenly coated. Cook for 2 minutes. Don't be stirrin'.

Add seafood stock and bring the whole thing to a boil, then add rice and mix evenly.

When the shrimp are fully cooked, pour everything into an oven-safe dish. Place cleaned mussels on top. Bake at 500 degrees until the mussels open.

Hello, my name is Jeff: Goat cheese and roasted beet salad

Making this dish was the easy part. We roasted the beets and tossed them with fresh microgreens, thick bacon bits, and pillowy goat cheese. We drizzled with honey and balsamic vinegar. We photographed our dish, scrutinizing what seemed like endless amounts of pictures of the same. damn. thing. We picked our best shots, finalized our recipe, and wrote it all down.

After all of this, we sat in front of our computer screen scratching our heads. This beautiful salad didn't even have a name.

We tried: Beet Salad. Roasted beet salad. Goat cheese and beet salad. Balsamic roasted beet...roasted balsamic beet? What about the honey? Wait, I really like bacon - that should be in the name too. Okay. Roasted balsamic beet, goat cheese honey, bacon, and date salad. Forget it, let's just call it Jeff. 

The point is, naming food matters. The name is the first thing you learn about the dish, like giving a stranger a handshake or a friendly smile. There isn't enough information to fully understand its complexity, but enough for a pretty good first impression.

Naming food usually follows a pattern:
- A jumble of adjectives and nouns. This is like an ad for your food, relying on your ability to cleverly string together words like "artisan" or "fresh" in a way that is both unique and fitting. Sometimes these words matter (gluten-free) and other times they're a little vague (locally grown. How local? Oh I see, just the next state over). This sort of thing seems to be trendy lately, although some people get a little carried away. If your English teacher would have called you out on a run-on sentence, perhaps it's time to abbreviate.

- A place. French toast isn't really a French dish, but other names are more accurate. Hamburger and frankfurter are nods to the German cities of Hamburg and Frankfurt, and dishes like chicken florentine are really named for Florence, Italy. In this case, my beet dish would be called Beets Connecticut. Ah, a treasured state dish.

- A person. Sandwich/Earl of Sandwich is the most common example, but there are others, including stories of eggs benedict being named after a hungover New York stockbroker.

In the end, I took the road less travelled and opted for the kind of name that usually belongs to a person. This culinary form of poetic license is also an acceptable way to navigate your naming difficulties. The most important thing is that whatever you're calling it, your recipe does the talking for you.

Jeff the Goat Cheese and Roasted Beet Salad

• 3-4 medium sized red beets
• 1/2 - 1 cup salad greens
• 1/2 cup dates, sliced
• 1/4 cup bacon pieces
• 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar 
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 lemon wedge

Coat beets with oil and roast them in a foil-covered pan at 450° for 60-75 minutes. Test by poking them with a fork - if it slides in easily, they're done. 

When beets are roasted (this will take a lot longer than other vegetables) let cool. Peel beets and cut into bite sized pieces. My preferred method for peeling beets is wiping the warm beet with a paper towel. The skin should slide right off. 

Drizzle beets with balsamic vinegar, and additional oil if needed.

In a large bowl, combine beets, greens, dates, bacon pieces, goat cheese, and green onions. Drizzle with honey and lemon juice.




P.S. We're in the middle of our 100 Fan Cookbook Giveaway! Like and share us on Facebook to win a sweet cookbook, and delicious chocolates. 

100 Fan Cookbook Giveaway!

The Angry Chef just hit 100 fans on Facebook!

We're so grateful to all of you for supporting The Angry Chef. Because of your support, we're turning our dream into a reality and that means something.

To say thank you, The Angry Chef is hosting a 100-Fan Cookbook Giveaway!

On April 10, we're giving away a copy of the Caseus cookbook. This collection of recipes comes from owner and restaurateur Jason Sobocinski. Caseus is well-known among New Haven residents for its unique selection of cheeses, its creative daily lunch and dinner specials, and its roaming cheese truck. The cookbook features some of Jason's favorite recipes and a collection of beautiful photographs. We're also throwing in a box of chocolate covered figs, to sweeten the deal.

To recap, WE want to give YOU:

• Caseus Cookbook!
• Box of delicious chocolate covered figs!
• Endless delight!

The rules are simple: 

1. Like The Angry Chef on Facebook.
2. Like and share this post with your friends.
3. Dance the dance of success.

The winner will be revealed via Facebook on April 10. Good luck, and thank you again for supporting The Angry Chef!

UPDATE! 

Our winner is Malissa Morin! This is especially exciting because Malissa is an aspiring chef herself, and we're thrilled to be able to help her reach her dream! Stay tuned for a guest post featuring Malissa's own recipe!

Thank you!

ANGRY CHEF GIVEAWAY!

We just made it to our first 100 'likes' on Facebook!

We want to say thank you to everyone supporting The Angry Chef, and so we decided to spread the wealth with a culinary giveaway. 

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Miso egg drop soup

There’s something beautiful about the eggs in this dish. I love their silkiness, their pale yellow feathering in the fragrant miso broth. When I pour the eggs into the pot – the last ingredient before some fresh green onions – I pause to watch them fold like paper-thin ribbons. As I stir, the egg unfurls to fill the pot, joining thin slices of mushroom and cubes of tofu. Fresh cracked pepper gives a bite to the smooth and savory flavor. 

Miso Egg Drop Soup
1.5 quarts water
1/4 lb soft tofu, cubed or sliced
1 portobello mushroom, thinly sliced
2 eggs, scrambled
2 tbsp miso paste
2 chicken bouillon cubes
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
3-5 tbsp cornstarch (more cornstarch = thicker soup)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper


Combine water, miso, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and add mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix cornstarch with a small amount of water until dissolved. Pour a small amount of the corn starch mixture into your soup and check its consistency. Add more to thicken the soup if desired.

Add tofu.

Scramble eggs in a small bowl and pour slowly into the simmering soup. Pour the eggs in a spiral shape to ensure they cook evenly. Do not stir for about 30 seconds to let the eggs set, then gently stir the soup and allow the eggs to feather.

Add green onions and more salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon sage butter

We've been talking to a few of our readers and getting suggestions on how to improve our blog. Your opinion matters to us because we believe strongly in the idea that everyone should have a certain degree of creative control when it comes to their food. Learn what your body loves, how to make the foods that you want to eat, and trust your instincts when it comes to cooking.

In the spirit of creating recipes that are easy and empowering, here's a quick and simple recipe for fresh lemon sage butter.

Lemon Sage Butter
makes 1 cup butter

2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup fresh sage leaves, loosely packed
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Cheesecloth

Fine chop sage leaves using a food processer. If you don't have one, you can use a knife - it will take a few extra minutes to get a nice even and fine chop going.

Combine ingredients in an electric mixer (or a whisk - it will just take longer) and set on low. After about five minutes you'll notice the mixture thickening. After 15-20 minutes you'll notice a stiffening that looks a little like meringue's "stiff peaks."

When the texture of the mixture changes to something that looks like cottage cheese, stop the mixer and use a spatula to pile the butter onto a cheesecloth.

Gather up the sides of the cheesecloth and squeeze the moisture out of the butter.

Keep your butter refrigerated!

RAMEN.

Soup is the best. Specifically, ramen is the best. There's not much better than a huge bowl of steaming broth and all your favorite fixins. This recipe is a fresh and simple version of what can often be a day-long process. Though it's true that you'll get superb results by making your own broth from scratch, we thought you'd appreciate a time-saver for those late-night ramen emergencies. You're welcome.

Ramen Broth

• 3 quarts water
• 1 sheet nori
• 5 grams bonito flakes 
• 4 tbsp miso
• 2 tbsp lite soy sauce
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Remove bonito flakes, garlic, and nori by pouring through a wire strainer. Reserve broth.

Add pepper to taste.

Combine with noodles, fresh veggies, and chicken or pork (or beef, or fish...) and celebrate your status as the ruler of the soup.

Fixins - use as much or as little as you want!

• Ramen (wheat flour) noodles
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Bean sprouts
• Hard boiled egg
• Oyster mushrooms
• Bamboo
• Panko fried chicken (egg, rice flour, panko)
• Pork belly (salt, black peppercorns, garlic cloves, and bay leaves)
• Green onions

The most important thing to remember here is thin slices. If your vegetables are sliced thinly enough, a nice steamy broth will soften them nicely. If the vegetables are too thick you're going to have a delicious-yet-crunchy soup. 

Your egg can be soft boiled, hard boiled, or anything in between. For a soft boiled egg, bring eggs and water to a boil and continue to boil for five minutes. For a hard boiled egg, make it seven minutes. Remember to start timing once the eggs and water begin to boil, not when the eggs go in. 

To cook pork bellies:

Boil 1 lb of pork bellies with 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 4 garlic cloves, and 2 bay leaves. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on thickness. When ready to serve, deep fry or pan fry in oil until sides are heavily browned.

To cook chicken: 

Pound chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer until 1/2 inch thick. Coat both sides evenly with rice flour and dip the breast in raw scrambled eggs. Bread with panko, sprinkle salt and pepper. Deep fry at 375° until golden brown (about three minutes). Slice on a bias and soup it up.

Ramen. Amen!

Milk braised pork with lemon-gruyère sauce

Damn! This is the most tender pork you've ever had. Seriously. It's also crispy, cheesy, and goes great on top of a heap of sautéed swiss chard or collard greens. If you're looking for something a little more filling, pair your pork with rice.

The sauce is made with gruyère, an excellent cheese for cooking with because of its distinctive yet subtle taste. The flavor of gruyère changes as it ages, beginning with a nutty flavor and gradually becoming more earthy over time. 

For this recipe, you'll need a crockpot. If you don't have one, get one. You will never regret it, ever.

Milk Braised Pork

Cooking time: About 6.5 hours

• 7lb skin on, bone in pork shoulder (about 4 lbs without bones or skin)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 cups whole milk
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 15 fresh sage leaves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt + fresh ground black pepper (at least 1 tbsp of each)

Put half of the thyme and half of the sage at the bottom of the crock pot.

Chop up all the veggies and put them with the herbs in the pot.

Use a knife to score the skin of the pork shoulder.

In a hot pan with 3 tbsp olive oil, sear the sides of the pork.

Place the seared shoulder in the crock pot, cover with remaining herbs.

Add milk, salt, and pepper. You can always add more salt and pepper later, so go easy at first.

Cook for 6 hours on high.

Before serving, sear pieces of cooked pork on high heat to crisp up the outsides. This adds a nice variation in texture, but also brings out the incredible flavor of the pork in a different way.


Lemon-Gruyère Sauce
Cooking time: About 15 minutes

• About 3 cups of liquid pork drippings 
• About 3 tbsp roux (more roux = thicker sauce!)
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese (more cheese = never a bad idea)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Sea salt + fresh ground black pepper to taste

Skim the fat off the top of the pork drippings. This should leave you with a clear-ish liquid, which you should bring to a boil in a saucepan.

Add roux, milk, and shredded cheese. Whisk until blended.

Add lemon, and nutmeg.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sunday breakfast: Bacon, eggs, and rice

Say hello to tomorrow's breakfast! 

Switch up your toast with some white rice! Bonus: throw one chicken bouillon cube in per 1 cup of rice for extra deliciousness.

This is quick and customizable, and you can put your favorite hot sauce all over it. What more could you want?

Make This Tonight: Roasted brussels sprouts!

Roasted vegetables! This is a favorite for our family, especially in the winter months. It's also a very simple and versatile recipe, which you can use with so many different vegetables. This time we used brussels sprouts, but eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, onions, potatoes, and mushrooms work just as well!

Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
1 lb brussels sprouts
2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste (we prefer kosher salt and cracked black pepper)

• Cut brussels sprouts in half and coat with olive oil. 
• Mix in minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
• Roast at 450° for 35-40 minutes.

The great thing about this recipe is its versatility. Add chili powder to make it spicy! Butter! Honey! Lemon juice! Bacon! Anything you think will add a nice touch - all these and more will work great! Use your sense of smell and taste to get a sense of what your final dish will taste like. 

This oil-salt-pepper-garlic combination works wonderfully with a variety of different vegetables. Use it as a base, and feel free to experiment! Happy roasting!

Groovy Cookies!

A few years ago, I inherited a collection of recipes from my wife's great (and late) aunt. She had amassed an absurd impressive amount of McCall's recipe books, all of which were published in the 1970's. Many of these have since been thrown out, because we try our very very best not to be hoarders around here. I kept my favorites though; here's one of them: 

These are not my hands. These are my wife's un-scarred un-chef-like fingers.
 Gaze upon their untouched flesh. Clearly she should be chopping more things. 

FROSTED "BUTTON" COOKIES

McCall's, 1973

NOTES FROM THE ANGRY CHEF: 

- I'm not sure why they put the quotation marks around "BUTTON." In fact I don't know what buttons have to do with this at all.

- I didn't create this. The 70's did. 

- Do you dig it?

Cookie Ingredients:

3.5 cups sifted all purpose flour (sift before measuring)

1 tsp baking soda

.5 tsp salt 

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Frosting Ingredients:

4 cups confectioner's sugar

.5 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 to 5 tbsp milk

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

Assorted colored frosting decorators, with writing tip

(note: this is how you write "groovy" on the cookies, which is an essential step)

Make the cookies!

- Preheat oven to 375 F

- Sift flour with baking soda and salt

- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat 1 cup butter until light. Gradually beat in brown sugar. Add eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Continue beating until light and fluffy. 

- At low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture until smooth. Add nuts. Mix well.

- Drop dough by tablespoonfuls, 3.5 inches apart, onto un-greased cookie sheets. Pat each into round about 3/4 inch thick.

- Bake 10 - 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove cookies to wire rack. Cool. Cool, dog.

Make the frosting!

- In a medium bowl, combine confectioner's sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk. With electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Remove 1 cup of frosting to small bowl. Add chocolate, and beat until well blended. 

This is what the people from the 1970's want you to do now:

- Spread half of the cookies with white frosting and the other half with chocolate frosting, then write popular sayings on cookies, as pictured. 

- Makes 32 cookies.

 Good job, guys. We did it.