She studied at the Culinary Institute, she’s done Top Chef, she’s worked internationally from London (where she trained with Jamie Oliver) and New York’s Aquavit to New Orleans’ Sazerac. She was executive chef at San Francisco’s legendary Sir Francis Drake Hotel. So where will you find Jen Biesty these days? At Shakewell Restaurant in Oakland, of course. Want to learn more about the woman behind the stove, click here.

Here is one of her signature dishes that will change the way you think of meatballs.

CHICKEN AND ALMOND ALBONDIGAS

Ingredients

2lbs ground chicken

1c. Yellow onion – fine diced

1t. Garlic – minced

1t. Ground cumin

2t. Smoked paprika

2t. Chopped almonds

2t. Chopped parsley

2t. Chopped marjoram

1t. Hungarian paprika

2t. Kosher salt

¼ c. Diced white bread – soaked in cream

2t. Evoo

¼ c. Heavy cream

2c. Cooking oil

Preparation

Trim the crust of the ciabatta bread, dice in cubes and cover with heavy cream. Allow bread to soak for 1 day. Sautee the onions and garlic until translucent and set a side to cool. Squeeze the bread and place in the robo coupe. Add the spices, herbs, almonds, 2lbs of ground chicken, cream, EVOO and puree until smooth. In a bowl, combine the remaining ground chicken, pureed mixture, and sauteed onions and garlic until thoroughly mixed. Form golf ball size balls with the meat and place on cookie sheet.

Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet; fry the albondigas on all sides until golden brown place into the braising sauce bake in oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Garnish with fresh marjoram, extra virgin olive oil and chopped almonds.