Berkeley Bowl West

Roasted Garlic Chicken Thighs

Bone-in, skin-on thighs are forgiving — the fat self-bastes the meat as the skin crisps. A whole head of garlic roasts alongside and turns mellow and sweet.

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 whole head of garlic, top sliced off to expose cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, halved

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels — dry skin is crispy skin.
2. Rub all over with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.
3. Place thighs skin-side up in an oven-safe skillet or baking dish. Nestle the garlic head (cut side up) and thyme sprigs alongside.
4. Drizzle the garlic with a little olive oil. Squeeze one lemon half over everything.
5. Roast 35–40 minutes until skin is deep golden and juices run clear (internal temp 165°F).
6. Rest 5 minutes. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and spread on the chicken or alongside.

Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccolini

Everything goes on one pan at the same time and comes out perfectly cooked. Broccolini gets a little charred at the tips, which is exactly what you want.

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin on
• 1 bunch broccolini, ends trimmed
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, half sliced into rounds, half reserved for serving
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• Fresh dill or parsley to finish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
2. Toss broccolini with 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and half the salt and pepper. Spread on the pan.
3. Pat salmon dry. Rub with remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place skin-side down on the pan, nestling in among the broccolini.
4. Lay lemon rounds over the salmon. Roast 12–14 minutes until salmon flakes easily at the thickest part.
5. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and fresh herbs.

French Onion Soup

The only thing that matters here is patience during the caramelization. Don't rush it — that hour on the stove is what makes the soup taste like it simmered for days.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs (1.4 kg) yellow onions (about 5 large), halved and thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp sugar (helps browning)
• ½ cup dry white wine or dry sherry
• 6 cups good beef broth
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 thick slices baguette, toasted
• 1½ cups gruyère, grated

Instructions

1. Melt butter with olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions, salt, and sugar. Stir to coat.
2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring every 5–10 minutes, for 45–60 minutes until onions are deeply golden brown. If they stick, add a splash of water and scrape up the fond.
3. Add wine and scrape up any remaining bits. Cook until wine evaporates, about 3 minutes.
4. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer 20 minutes. Taste and season. Remove thyme and bay leaf.
5. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Float a baguette slice on top of each, then pile on the gruyère.
6. Broil 2–4 minutes until cheese is bubbling and spotted brown. Serve immediately.

Miso Butter Pasta

White miso and butter is one of those combinations that should not work as well as it does. The pasta water pulls everything into a glossy, umami-rich sauce with almost no effort.

Ingredients

• 200g spaghetti or linguine
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp white (shiro) miso
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup pasta cooking water
• 30g parmesan, finely grated, plus more to serve
• Black pepper
• Chives or scallion greens, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
2. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
3. Add miso and stir into the butter until dissolved, about 30 seconds.
4. Add ¼ cup pasta water and stir to combine into a sauce.
5. Add drained pasta and toss over medium heat, adding more pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats every strand.
6. Off heat, stir in parmesan. Plate and top with black pepper and chives.

Khao Man Gai (Thai Poached Chicken Rice)

Deceptively simple. The chicken poaches gently in aromatics until impossibly silky, then the rice cooks in the resulting broth, absorbing all that flavor. The ginger-chili sauce brings everything to life.

Ingredients

Chicken & broth

• 1.5 kg (3 lbs) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 cilantro roots or stems
• 1 tsp white peppercorns
• 1½ tsp salt
• Water to cover

Rice

• 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 tbsp chicken fat (skimmed from broth) or neutral oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-inch piece ginger, minced
• 3 cups reserved poaching broth
• ½ tsp salt

Ginger-chili sauce

• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 red Thai chilies (or 1 serrano), adjust to taste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp reserved poaching broth

To serve

• Cucumber, sliced
• Fresh cilantro
• White pepper

Instructions

1. Place chicken in a pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add ginger, garlic, cilantro, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat — do not boil.
2. Poach at a bare simmer for 35–40 minutes until chicken is cooked through (165°F). Skim foam as needed. Remove chicken and let cool slightly. Reserve the broth.
3. Make the rice: In a medium saucepan, warm the chicken fat over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute. Add rinsed rice and stir to coat. Pour in 3 cups strained broth, add salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steam covered 10 minutes.
4. Make the sauce: Blend or pound ginger, garlic, and chilies into a rough paste. Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and broth.
5. Pull or slice chicken off the bone.
6. Serve chicken over rice with cucumber slices, cilantro, a bowl of remaining broth on the side, and the sauce for dipping.

Skirt Steak Stir Fry

Skirt steak's open grain soaks up the marinade and cooks fast over screaming-hot heat. The key is a very hot pan, small batches, and not overcrowding — you want a sear, not a steam.

Ingredients

Steak & marinade

• 350g (12 oz) skirt steak, sliced against the grain into ¼-inch strips
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp baking soda (tenderizes the meat)

Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup water

Stir fry

• 2 tbsp neutral oil (divided)
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1-inch piece ginger, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Steamed white rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Toss steak strips with marinade ingredients. Let sit 15 minutes at room temperature (or up to 2 hours in the fridge).
2. Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat a wok or large cast iron skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add 1 tbsp oil.
4. Add steak in a single layer — cook in two batches if needed. Sear without stirring for 60 seconds, then toss and cook another 30 seconds. The beef should still be slightly pink. Remove to a plate.
5. Add remaining oil to the wok. Add broccoli and cook 2 minutes, tossing frequently. Add bell pepper and cook 1 minute more.
6. Push vegetables to the side. Add garlic and ginger to the center and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. Return beef to the pan. Pour sauce over everything and toss to coat. The sauce will thicken in about 1 minute.
8. Add scallions, toss once, and serve immediately over steamed rice.