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.

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.

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.

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

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. 

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!

Arroz Caldo

I wake up on a cold morning in October. It's my day off. I can hear my wife getting ready to go to work. Cars driving by the apartment window. It's wet out. I can hear it; the way the tires sound driving on wet asphalt is a very distinct one. On days like this I look for simple, hearty meals that bring comfort with every bite. I open my eyes and ask if its raining. My wife says yes, and it's game on! 

Arroz caldo is a Filipino dish that my Mom used to cook when I was growing up. It is definitely a dish to be served on cold fall and winter days. It's also my go-to for when someone is feeling a little under the weather. Let's get to it. 

The Hardware:

• Cutting board 
• Knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Stirring spoon 
• 2 quart pot

The Ingredients:

• Peanut oil or vegetable oil 
• 4-6 cloves of crushed garlic, or 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 knob / 1 in. ginger root
• 1 medium onion
• 2 chicken legs or breast.  Either is fine, I used both! (Bonus: Soak the chicken for several hours or overnight in salty water before use for the most tender thang you ever put in your mouth.)
• 1 1/2  cups of medium grain rice
• Approx. 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 4 cups water
• 1 chicken bullion cube
• Salt and pepper
• Green onions

As a rule, start any cooking adventure by taking time to put together your mise en place. If you don't know, mise en place is a stuffy french term for "Git yo' shit together." Doing this before you cook will save you time, and those "Dammit I forgot something!" trips to the grocery store. Here's mine:

-Chicken, green onion, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, chicken bouillon, pepper, medium grain rice, yellow onion-

STEP ONE

• Dice chicken breasts and/or cut slits into drumsticks. The bones in the drumstick add a lot of extra flavor that a bouillon cube can't give you.
• Cut off a one inch knob of ginger, peel it and mince it. 
• Give your onion a rough chop. Uniformity is not important...unless you have someone to impress.         

STEP TWO

• Coat the bottom of your pot with oil and turn to medium-high heat.
• Smash garlic cloves and add them to the oil as it heats up.
• When your garlic starts to brown, add the chicken.
• Salt and peppa!
• Brown the chicken for a couple minutes per side, then add onions and ginger.

STEP THREE

When adding the fish sauce, I like to add it slowly, holding my
nose above the pot in order to smell the change in flavor.

• Add rice, fish sauce and water and bouillon cube. 
• Simmer until the rice becomes tender - about 15 minutes.

  As far as cooking goes, you're already done! Before feeding it to loved ones, make sure you double check that your chicken is thoroughly cooked. Survey the fruits of your labor. It doesn't look like a spectacular dish at this moment, but we'll get there.                                    

The most basic way to consume this dish is with green onions. Take note of the foreshadowing bottle of Sriracha in the background. I'im getting there guys.

-This is what I would call "vanilla." My wife is white and she doesn't even eat it this tame-If you're like me, green onions this is not enough to satisfy! Bring on the Sriracha, hard boiled egg, and crushed pork rinds!

-Smothered and covered. Aw yeah, baby.-


Lastly, you're going to want someone feeling full and appreciative to help you clean. Ain't it good to be the cook? 

-Fin-

Have fun guys. Thanks, Mom!

- Kevin