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Fried Chicken with New Orleans Confetti

12 Jul

Fried Chicken with New Orleans Confetti

M: My partner here at the Skillet mentioned to me that when attending a 4th of July picnic, she brought both Carolina Coleslaw and Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad. Both are recipes from the The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook and both had been requested. They have become “go to” recipes for her. Comparing notes, it turns out that, for both of us, many of the dishes we’ve prepared as part of this project have been so good they have become standards for us, sometimes replacing longtime favorites. Cheerwine Barbeque Chicken was like that for me. Creamy Corn Pudding was another. And now I may have to add this fried chicken recipe to the ever-growing list of recipe usurpers in my kitchen.

I like fried chicken. A lot. I’m always pleased to be served fried chicken and I make it at home now and again. But I’ve never really had a recipe that knocked me out. Most often, my complaint has been crust that is either too soggy, not flavorful or doesn’t hold to the chicken as well as I’d like. This recipe has none of those problems and also delivers some of the juiciest chicken I’ve had the pleasure to prepare. What makes this one special?

I’ve got to credit evaporated milk, which is the component of which I was most suspicious. My concerned is that it would be too sweet. Not condensed milk sweet (condensed milk is more or less evaporated milk with a lot of sugar added), but still. I like my savory savory. To be fair, I haven’t done much cooking with evaporated milk, but I immediately think of custards or pies. I’ll leave that attitude behind now, because this really works.

The density of evaporated milk, as opposed to, say, buttermilk, holds the crust together in a spectacular way. Not only does it produce a crunchiness so often missing in my fried chicken, but it holds together beautifully, has terrific flavor without buying the flavor of the chicken itself, and seals in the juices like nobody’s business.

I thought the garnishes (pickle slices and “confetti”) were more about plate appeal, but boy do they work to taste.  Don’t skip either. If the pickles are home made, so much the better. Also, parsley is underrated. It really pulls its weight here in a way I didn’t expect. Hooray, says me.

How about that? Another “go to ” dish from the SFA Cookbook. In fact, I am likely to go to this one again very, very soon.

Recipe: Fried Chicken with New Orleans Confetti

Summary: An uncommonly good crust makes this crunchy, juicy, and our new “go to” fried chicken. From The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook.

Ingredients

  • 1 (3-4 Lb Chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces
  • 2 T Salt
  • 2 T Black Pepper
  • 2 T Louisiana-Style Seasoning Blend
  • Peanut Oil for frying
  • 1 Large Egg, beaten
  • 1 (12oz) can Evaporated Milk
  • 1 c Water
  • 1 c Flour
  • 10 Dill Pickle Slices
  • 1 Garlic Clove, minced
  • 1 Bunch Parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Wash chicken, pat dry, season and let rest uncovered in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  2. Whisk egg, evaporated milk, and water together in a large bowl.
  3. Put flour in a shallow bowl.
  4. Dredge chicken in egg mixture and roll in flour.
  5. Working in batches, place coated chicken in peanut oil heated to 350 degrees in a heavy pot.
  6. Fry chicken, turning with tongs, until juices run clear when pierced to bone and crust in golden and crispy (about 15 minutes).
  7. Drain cooked chicken on wire rack about 10 minutes.
  8. Serve hot, garnished with pickles and a confetti of garlic and parsley.
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Gumbo z’Herbes

28 Mar

Gumbo z'Herbes

M: In an earlier post, we touched on the argument that “greens is greens”.  This dish, also called “Green Gumbo” does away with the concern of differentiating between greens by using as many different types as you can get your hands on.  It’s origins were as a meatless meal either served on Holy Thursday or prepared on Holy Thursday to be served on Good Friday, but at some point plenty of meat (and I mean plenty!)  began to appear in many versions.  I’m not sure how that fits into the Lenten schedule.  Some say nine different kinds of greens should be used, nine being a holy number.  Others offer that the more abundant the variety, the more friends will be made in the year ahead.  Whatever the particulars of your tradition, this once a year meal deserves to be part of it..  We made it a little early so you’d have time to shop for the numerous ingredients.

Pureeing those greens and stirring them into an increasingly murky pot, I was unsure about this one.  But as each meat was added and the spices began to merge, the gumbo came together into something outstanding.  Still murky, but so tasty.  I can’t help but wonder if those who were preparing it on Holy Thursday to serve on Good Friday switched over because no one could bear the wait, although the longer this one sat on the stove, the better it got.  A little time consuming to put this one together, but it does not disappoint.  That’s a lot of greens.

Rinsing Greens Cooking Greens Pureed Greens
Drumettes Meat and Greens Nearly Gumbo

Recipe: Gumbo z’Herbes

Summary: A Spring tradition rich with a variety of meats and more greens than you can shake a stick at. From The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook

Ingredients

  • 2 Ham Shanks
  • 1 Gal. Water
  • 6-8 Lb Various Greens (7 to 11 of the following: Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Spinach, Cabbage, Carrot Tops, Beet Tops, Arugula, Parsley, Green Onions, Watercress, Romaine Lettuce, Curly Endive, Kale, Radish Tops, Pepper Grass)
  • 3 Yellow Onions, roughly chopped
  • 8 Garlic Gloves, peeled
  • 2 Lb Fresh Hot Sausage
  • 1 Lb Chicken Drumettes
  • 1 Lb Andouille Sausage, cut into 1/2″ slices
  • 1 Lb Stew Beef, cut into 1/2″ pieces
  • 1 Lb Pork Sausage
  • 8 oz. Ham, cut into 1/2″ pieces
  • 1 c AP Flour
  • Vegetable Oil
  • 3 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp File Powder (if desired)
  • Cooked Rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Bring ham hocks to boil in water in a pot and reduce to simmer until needed.
  2. Thoroughly wash then drain greens.
  3. Bring greens, onions and garlic to boil in a very large pot and reduce to simmer until tender (about 45 minutes).
  4. Transfer greens to a bowl to cool, reserving water.
  5. Once greens have cooled, puree in small batches in food processor and set aside.
  6. Cook hot sausage in a skillet over medium heat until fat renders then remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.
  7. Brown drumettes in skillet in rendered sausage fat until browned then transfer to bowl with sausage.
  8. Remove ham hocks from pot and pull meat from bones, chopping into bite sized pieces and add to bowl with sausage.
  9. Return pureed greens to large pot and add sausage, chicken, andouille, pork sausage, stew beef, ham shank and chopped ham.
  10. Cover with equal amounts of stock from ham shanks and reserved liquid from greens and bring to simmer over medium-high heat.
  11. To make roux, sprinkle flour into skillet containing hot sausage drippings over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Add vegetable oil as needed to create a thick paste.
  12. Drop roux in spoonfuls into gumbo, stirring well.
  13. Add thyme, cayenne, bay leaves and salt to gumbo and let simmer, stirring frequently, until meat is cooked through (about an hour).
  14. If desired, stir in file at end of cooking.
  15. Serve over rice.

 

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Posted in Beef, Main Dish, Pork, Poultry, Soups and Stews, Vegetables

 

Cheerwine Barbeque Chicken

15 Mar

Cheerwine Barbeque Chicken

M: “Legend born in the South, Raised in a Glass.”  What makes Cheerwine so distinctively Southern?  The short answer would be that since it first hit the market it has only been sold in Southern states, but there is something about this heavily carbonated, cherry flavored soft drink that just *feels” like the South.  Founded in Salisbury, NC in 1917 by L.D. Peeler, who bought the recipe for the Kentucky based “Mint  Cola” and renamed it for it’s effervescence and burgundy color.  It was an instant hit throughout North Carolina and eventually expanded its distribution into South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and throughout the Southeast.    Last fall, the company announced plans to expand to National distribution by 2017, as this beloved Southern secret gains countrywide attention.  Can’t wait until 2017?  See how far you’ll have to drive here or just have it shipped.  Love those longnecks.

So how does it stand up in barbeque sauce?  Coca Cola has a well known history as a cooking ingredient in everything from cake to, well, barbeque sauce.  For my money, this recipe stands up with the best of them.  As a rule, I prefer to do things from scratch.  So when I see a recipe that uses packaged products as ingredients, I tend to shy away.  And this one uses not only cheerwine, but also A-1 steak sauce.  But you know, that’s my hang up and cooking Southern has forced me to play through that.  In for a penny.  It’s recipes like this one that makes me more than happy to get over myself.

I’ve made this both as an oven roast and cooked on the grill.  I prefer stepping outside and firing up the grill.  Especially when we’re seeing sunshine and 80 degree days in early March. It’s good to live in the South.

Cheerwine Barbeque Sauce Cheerwine Marinade Cheerwine on the Grill

Recipe: Cheerwine Barbeque Chicken

Summary: Tangy sweet sauce with a hint of cherry made from the South’s best kept soda turns your roasted (or better still, grilled) chicken into something special. From The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook

Ingredients

  • 1 T Butter
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 c Ketchup
  • 1 c Cheerwine
  • 3 T Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/4 c A-1 Sauce
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
  • 2 T White Vinegar
  • 7 Lb Chicken Thighs

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, saute garlic in butter for a minute or so.
  2. Whisk in ketchup, Cheerwine, Worcestershire sauce, A-1, cayenne pepper, black pepper, dry mustard and vinegar and bring to boil.
  3. Reduce to simmer 20 minutes (until sauce thickens).
  4. Let cool and refrigerate to chill.
  5. Combine sauce and chicken in a storage container, making sure chicken is completely coated.
  6. Refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
  7. Cook in 350 degree oven until an internal temperature of 170 degrees is reached (about an hour) OR grill on charcoal or propane grill at medium heat 15-20 minutes (with either method, baste with remaining sauce halfway through) until hitting that internal temperature of 170 degrees.

 

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Posted in Poultry, Sauces and Dips

 

Chicken and Roasted Root Vegetable Pie

11 Jan

Chicken and Root Vegetable Pie

M:  Before I talk about how much I liked this pie, I want to address yet another question to which I cannot seem to find a satisfying answer.  Is there a difference between a chicken pie and a chicken *pot* pie?  I figured a quick pass through the old interwebs would provide a quick answer.  And it did.  In fact, it provided a whole bunch of quick answers, many directly contradicting each other.  So I hit the streets, asking anyone who would make eye contact if they could give me a solid answer.  And they could.  Time and again.  And here is what I learned.

  • Chicken pot pie has top and bottom crust, chicken pie only top.
  • Chicken pot pie has only a top crust, chicken pie top and bottom.
  • Chicken pie has only a bottom crust.
  • Chicken pot pie has noodles.
  • Chicken pot pie does not use pie crust, but is instead topped with biscuits.
  • Chicken pie is shallow, pot pie is deep.
  • Pot pies are single serving.
  • Any pie made with meat is a pot pie.
  • The difference in name is only regional (although no regions could be specified).
  • There is no such thing as a chicken pie.
  • And lastly, one smart aleck who suggested a chicken pie is like a cow pie.

 

So there you go.  The difference between a chicken pie and a chicken pot pie.  Needless to say, my ears are still pricked.  Tell me convincingly and I will absolutely believe you until someone tells me differently.

Disappointing research aside, I liked this one plenty.  First, what a terrific use for the copious root vegetables piling up in the pantry.  The author wisely suggests that you make use of what is available rather than prescribe specific vegetables.  In my case, it was turnips, parsnips, carrots and sweet potatoes. On a different week, rutabagas or daikon radishes my have made an appearance.  I was very pleased with my choices and, although they would probably cook fully inside the pie, roasting them first really brought out the flavors (I also sprinkled them with a bit of sea salt before roasting).

My crust came out a little denser than I might’ve gone for, but who cares?  That might’ve been my doing or just the recipe itself, but it didn’t really matter.  Including crackings more than made up for it.  Come to think of it, I may have been a little heavy handed on that front, but I assure you there were no complaints.

Finally, I’m a sucker for a single recipe that makes use not only of the chicken, but also the resulting stock.  This flavorful filling stood up nicely.  A top crust only dish runs the risk of winding up like camouflaged soup, but it was thick and luxurious.  And how convenient that this recipe yields two pies. That first one disappeared mighty fast.

Recipe: Chicken and Roasted Root Vegetable Pie

Summary: Seasonal root vegetables anchor this versatile and satisfying savory chicken pie. From The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 2 c Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • 2 heaping T Pork Cracklings
  • 1+1/4 Sticks Unsalted Butter, cubed and chilled
  • 4-6 T Ice Water

Filling

  • 1 (3 1/2 – 4 Lb) Chicken
  • Salt and Black Pepper
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 4 c Assorted Root Vegetables (such as parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, etc), peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1-2 T Olive Oil
  • 3 T Bacon Grease or Butter
  • 1 Medium Onion, diced (about 1 1/2 c)
  • 2 Celery Stalks, diced (about 1 c)
  • Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • A Few Sprigs Fresh Herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, sage)
  • 3 T Flour
  • 1 c Milk
  • 2 c Chicken Stock (from cooking chicken)
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 2 T Water

Instructions

  1. Put flour, salt, sugar and cracklings in food processor and pulse to combine.
  2. Add butter and pulse until pieces of butter are the size of peppercorns.
  3. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in enough water to form large clumps of dough.
  4. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic and chill at least 20 minutes.
  5. Place chicken, salt and pepper and bay leaf in a large pot.
  6. Cover with water, bring to boil, then reduce to medium-low heat for one hour.
  7. Remove chicken from pot and pull meat from bones (once cool enough to handle).
  8. Cut meat into bite sized pieces and set aside.
  9. Strain stock and set aside.
  10. Preheat oven to 365 degrees.
  11. Place vegetables on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast until tender (about 20 minutes).
  12. Saute onion and celery with red pepper flakes and herbs in bacon grease in a large pot over medium high heat until onions are soft (about 8 minutes).
  13. Season with salt and pepper, then add flour, stirring constantly until flour browns slightly (about 4 minutes).
  14. Slowly stir in milk and cook until thickened (about 3 minutes).
  15. Stir in stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to boil.
  16. Remove from heat, remove any herb stems and stir in chicken, root vegetables and zest.
  17. Let filling cool to room temperature and divide between two 9 in. pie pans.
  18. Roll out pie dough and top each pie, crimping edges.
  19. Brush with egg wash and cut a few slits in each crust to let steam escape.
  20. Bake 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.

 

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Chicken and Dumplings

29 Nov

Chicken and Dumplings

M: When it comes to comfort food, few meals top the silky smooth embrace of chicken and dumplings.  The one pot Sunday dinner of chicken stew pillowed by supple, puffy biscuit dough nestled and wet-cooked on its surface.  The dumplings soaking up the broth, giving heft, texture and weight to the dish and helping stretch a little bit of chicken to feed a hungry table.  No drama here.  So when chatting with an NC native about this one, how do I draw the phrase “go to war over it”?  The debate is a matter of dropping or rolling.  Dumplings come in many forms, but in the case of chicken and dumplings, this seems to be the core debate.  Do you drop the sticky dough in by the lumpy spoonful into that bubbling broth or is it first rolled flat, sliced into strips and gingerly arranged?

“It’s got to be rolled out.  Flat as you can get it.  So flat you can read a newspaper through it.   Practically chicken and pasta.”  I’m told this is a particularly Eastern Carolina attitude.   I can go either way on this front.  While I loved the puffy structure and give of these dumplings, there is something to be said for the semi-shapeless, knotty glob.   Debate all you want.  Once again, the right way has a whole lot to do with how grandma did it.  And while you’re at it, pork lard is fine, but you’ve got to throw some of that chicken fat in there if you want those dumplings done right.

K:  Oh, for the love of pete, if I wanted chicken noodle soup, I’d make chicken noodle soup, and I wouldn’t call it chicken and DUMPLINGS. I am generally in agreement with most things Carolinian, my people being who they are (South Georgian by way of North Carolina) and me having a firm belief in regional unity and all that, but….seriously? A rolled dumpling? That’s a noodle. These were extremely fluffy, tasty noodles, and I loved them very much, but I have a very hard time calling them dumplings – which should CLEARLY be sticky dough dropped into boiling stew.

Now, having stating which side of the dumpling battleground I cheerfully inhabit, I will say that someone in my family (I do SO wish I could remember who) made a dish exceedingly similar to this, only they used a LOT more black pepper, and didn’t cut up the dough. The dish was always made in a deep ‘chicken fryer’ type cast iron skillet, and at the last minute the thinly-rolled dumpling dough was laid in it’s entirety right over the top of the boiling stew, which was then covered with a lid and quickly tossed into a hot oven for a very brief finish.  This combination of boil/bake made for an odd, but spectacularly good hybrid.  Think chicken and dumplings meets chicken pot pie…only….better than either, somehow.  I haven’t had that in longer than I am willing to admit, on account of how old it would make me seem, but now that it’s in my head, I can’t let it go.  I suspect I will have to make this again very soon, just so I can do us up some C&D/Pot Pie Frankenstein stew.

Hmmm….now that I think about it, there IS a ridiculously large bowl of leftover turkey in the fridge, and the turkey stock has even been made already….

Yeah, I’ll see y’all later.  I’ve got Turkey Frankenstein Stew to make.

Dumpling dough Chicken soup

Recipe: Chicken and Dumplings

Summary: We liked this recipe a lot. Straightforward. Classic. The stew thickened up very nicely, making this a hearty, comforting meal that is extremely flavorful while remaining uncomplicated. Our primary adaptation to the recipe was to move the stock making portion of the directions off of the stove top and into the pressure cooker to speed it up while jacking up the flavor. ( K: Oh, OK, I added a LOT more freshly ground pepper.  I wouldn’t say that I doubled the amount called for?  But I have a bit of a love affair with pepper, and there is every chance that I might have done that even if I don’t want to say it.  Go ahead, be liberal with your pepper grinder. ) 

This would also be a great use for all that leftover Thanksgiving turkey that you can no longer bear to see, much less eat.

Adapted from The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook.

 

Ingredients

Stock

  • 4 Lb Stewing Chicken
  • 2 Ribs Celery, chopped
  • 2 Carrots, chopped
  • 1 Large Onion, quartered
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 12 Peppercorns
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 T Butter

 

Dumplings

  • 2 c Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 T Baking Powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 4 T Lard
  • 1/2 -2/3 c Milk

 

Stew

  • 1 Medium Onion, chopped
  • 2 Large Carrots, peeled and sliced (K: I also added golden beets for a more sweet/earthy flavor profile.)
  • 3 c Chicken, chopped
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Green Onions, sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

Stock

  1. Combine chicken, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme and butter in a stockpot and cover with cold water.
  2. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer until chicken is fully cooked (about 30 minutes).
  3. Remove chicken from pot, pull meat from bones and return skin and bones to pot.
  4. Return stock to boil until reduced to about 4 cups then strain and discard solids.

 

Dumplings

  1. Sift flour, salt, baking powder and pepper together.
  2. Work lard into flour until mix is crumbly.
  3. Add milk to flour to form stiff dough then roll out to 1/8″ on a well floured surface.
  4. Cut into 1×1-1/2″ dumplings.

 

Stew

  1. Add onion and carrots to stock and simmer at low boil until soft (about 15 minutes).
  2. Tear chicken into bite sized pieces and add to pot.
  3. Salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Gently drop dumplings into pot and cover 5-8 minutes.
  5. Serve hot, garnished with green onions.

 

Chicken and Dumplings

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