Fried Chicken

Nancy and I were exchanging e-mails a while back and I confessed that I do sometimes buy prepared fried chicken at a supermarket deli, KFC or Popeye's. She said she had fond memories of the fried chicken I used to do in huge quantity, so I wrote the directions in a narrative form because it was hard to communicate the step-by-step process in a recipe format. Ido it a little different now than I used to because I have learned some new tricks—so sit back and prepare to read a long explanation.

First, buy Claxton or "natural" chicken if you can (Publix has some pretty good natural chicken for a normal price.) Don’t spring for the organic stuff—it is very expensive and not worth the extra money. Check to see if the chicken has been injected with a saline solution. If so, don’t buy it because the water will leech out during frying, spatter and make the crust soft. (BTW—the saline injection is a good thing for turkey because it eliminates the need to brine the big bird. After brining a turkey about 10 years ago, I switched to Butterball and never looked back.)

Leave the skin on it, rinse under cold water and soak a few hours in buttermilk. Lift the chicken pieces out of the buttermilk and lay on wax paper or foil so you can season all sides really good. Sprinkle with Nature's Seasons, paprika (or cayenne), a little sea salt (regular or the 4S seasoned salt from Penzey's) and black pepper. Let it set for a few minutes, then put about 2 cups self-rising flour in a plastic bag, add a little Nature's Seasons and shake to mix. Then add the chicken pieces a few at the time and shake until totally coated—the residual buttermilk will help the flour adhere. Lay the floured pieces out on wax paper for at least 15 minutes until the coating begins to have moist patches - sort of like library paste. Shake again in flour, or just pat some more flour on if you don't have many pieces, and let it set again for about 10 minutes while the frying fat heats. (Tell Terry not to worry, it won't rot in that short time unrefrigerated.)

You can use lard, solid shortening (like Crisco) or Canola or Safflower Oil in any combination. Lard adds good flavor, but is not good for you and is more likely to feel greasy. Crisco can withstand high heat best and gives a good crisp crust—either oil does a good job and is healthier than solid shortening. I don't use lard much anymore because I just don't keep it on hand, but no matter what else I use, I add about 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings or butter for flavor.

Use a frying pan with a cover —cast iron is best, but a good heavy non-stick pan will work well too. Use enough fat to make a depth of about 1 inch (it should cover just over 1/2 the chicken thickness). Set the burner on high and heat until fat is shimmering (you can test with a bread cube or sprinkle of flour—it will foam up when the oil is hot enough), then reduce to medium high. Add the chicken (bone-in pieces first) skin side down with no pieces touching—cook uncovered about 5 minutes or until bottom develops a tan color and the batter has sealed. Turn over and cook 2 minutes, then cover and cook about 5 minutes. Remove cover, turn over, fry uncovered 2 minutes then cover again and cook 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook a few minutes more, turning once, until both sides are brown and crisp. Somewhere in this process you will add small or boneless pieces so they cook about half as long a bone-in. (This won't be an issue unless you are cooking boneless breasts and legs & thighs - or you have livers and gizzards involved.) My usual mix is 3 legs and 2 boneless breasts, but sometimes I do the whole chicken so we can have a pulley bone and the livers and gizzards. Place cooked pieces on a cake rack set on a cookie sheet to drain. (You can use a paper towel-covered pan, but the underside of the chicken may get a little soggy). Keep warm in a preheated oven at 175 degrees.

This sounds awfully complicated, but it really is quite easy, and the method ensures that the outside will be crispy and sealed tight to keep the juices from leaking out and the fat from getting in. You can remove the thickest piece and check for doneness by piercing next to the bone with a small pointed knife until you get a feel for how long the different kinds of pieces need to cook.

If buttermilk grosses you out, or just for a change, you can brine the chicken for several hours in a mild salt solution (or just sprinkle liberally with salt and put in a plastic bag), then rinse well before doing the seasoning and flouring process. I have also tried adding a beaten egg to milk as a wet dip before the flour, and it is pretty good, but the egg makes a slightly soft crust. If you don't want to leave the skin on, you can remove it (the chicken will lose some moistness and flavor) and let the floured chicken set a little longer to get a good seal in the coating.

Here's the good part - if you can manage to get this all done without any burned drippings, you can drain off the excess fat and make the most wonderful gravy with a little extra flour and some chicken broth. Once in a great while I do this and have it with white rice or mashed potatoes. Speaking of chicken broth - Cook's Illustrated did a test on supermarket canned chicken broth and found that "College Inn" is the most like homemade. I tried it and they are right, it is much better than Campbell's, but the only place I can find that brand is Publix, where they have it in the can and carton, both organic and not.

Update on Chicken Broth - Cook's Illustrated revised their 'best' rating a couple of years ago and now recommends Swanson Natural Organic broth in the asceptic container. Just recently I have discovered two other choices which are even better. Medford Farms Chicken Broth has a deep, rich taste that's perfect to use as a stock for Chicken and Dumplings, gravy, or any braised dish. Kitchen Basics is similar and has a slightly cloudy appearance like rich homemade broth does. Both these latest discoveries may be too rustic for a delicate preparation like risotto, but well worth trying for a sauce or soup. Important - do not waste your money or time on Pacific Chicken Broth - it has a thin, sour taste that will ruin your dish. Strange, because the Pacific Beef Broth is outstanding - closest option I've found in the supermarket for French Onion Soup, Beef Stew, gravies, and general beef stock requirements.

Veal Chop with Glazed Baby Vegetables

This is a narrative recipe because it is not precise - just get the number of Veal Chops you need and some baby (or young adult) vegetables. I made the dish with one chop, so multiply for the amount you are cooking.

Season the veal chop (at least 1 inch thick – better 1 1/2 in.) with garlic powder or garlic salt and Lemon Pepper and let set for about 30 minutes. The veggies are small red potatoes, some vertical-sliced pieces of onion, baby zucchini, sugar snap peas, small green beans and small carrots. While the veal was waiting to be cooked, I cut the potatoes into quarters and simmered them in a small amount of salted water just until tender – about 10 minutes – and set aside to drain. I didn’t precook the other vegetables. When ready, preheat the oven to 350 - start preheating about 8 minutes ahead, then heat a heavy frying pan over med-high heat. When the frying pan is hot, brush it with olive oil and sear the chop, turning after about 1 ½ minutes. When brown on both sides, remove pan from heat and transfer the chop to a small shallow pan. Place chop in heated oven (it will need to cook for about 5 minutes).

Return frying pan to high heat and pour about ½ cup chicken broth and 2 tbs. sherry into it, scraping up all the good stuff. Add a sprinkle of thyme, the carrots, zucchini, and onions and simmer for about 3 minutes, then add the other veggies. Add 1 tsp Soy Sauce and more broth if it is cooking dry. (The amount of broth, sherry and seasoning will depend somewhat on the number of chops, but don't do a direct multiple or you will have too much sauce - the goal is to be able to cook it down to a syrup. The amount stated for 1 chop should be increased by about 20% for two chops.) Taste juices and add salt and pepper if needed. The pan juices should cook down to a slightly syrupy consistency by the time the veal is ready. Pour any juices in the veal pan over the veggies , stir and serve. The trick is to time the cooking of the veggies so they do not over-cook while the veal is finishing in the oven. Veal should be cooked about medium – pink without red (medium rare is not as juicy or tasty in veal as it is in beef). The pan juices will have a better shine if you add some butter to the liquid when it first comes to the boil, but you can leave it out to reduce calories. The Soy Sauce adds a depth of flavor and helps with the color without making it taste like a Chinese dish. (Soy Sauce is a natural flavor enhancer that can be used in all sorts of dishes - moderation is the key, because it is so salty.)

This method of searing in a frying pan, then finishing in the oven works well with pork and chicken breasts – both of which can get really dry if left in liquid too long. I have also used it for really thick steaks, especially filet mignon, because it is easier to control the doneness in the oven than over direct heat.

Good luck with it – you may want to try the pan glazing methodology with a chicken breast first since veal is so damned expensive. I buy the chops whenever I find them on sale and stash them in the freezer to make a really quick and elegant meal.

Comfort Foods

ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Serves 8

This is the original Americanized version of spaghetti sauce that has been the favorite budget-conscious dish to feed a crowd for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, special seasonings and mushrooms were not readily available, so it was usually seasoned only with parsley – and tomato paste was often substituted for the tomato sauce. It is a versatile dish, freezes well and is easily made in very large quantities. The Lipton Soup is my own addition and it does add an indefinable something, but can be omitted whenever you don’t have any in the pantry. Sometimes I add ½ condensed beef broth if I don’t have the dried soup. It’s usually very good no matter what you do – just taste as it cooks and make adjustment to seasoning and thickness to suit your preference. The reason the peppers and mushrooms are added near the end of cooking is they cook fairly quickly and can get a little mushy if added too early. If you want to prepare it in a crock pot and let it cook unattended, just include them with the onions at the beginning.

2 lb. lean ground beef

4 teaspoon Italian Herb Seasoning Blend

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

12 fennel seeds, slightly crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 envelope Lipton Onion-Mushroom soup mix

1/2 cup water

1 medium green bell pepper chopped

8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)

1/2 cup red wine (burgundy, merlot or Chianti)

Grated parmesan cheese

Brown the ground beef and drain all the fat and liquid. Add onion and garlic and cook a minute or two. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir to mix thoroughly. Add a11 other ingredients except bell peppers, mushrooms and wine. When sauce begins to bubble, add wine and cook 2 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer and cook 2 or 3 hours, adding water as necessary as sauce thickens. Add the bell peppers during the last hour of cooking and add the mushrooms about 30 minutes before you plan to serve. Taste to correct seasoning – add salt and pepper if needed. Stir in 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese and heat a couple of minutes before ladling sauce on thin spaghetti or vermicelli, which has been cooked according to package directions. Serve with additional cheese and red pepper flakes.

For a change, substitute 1 pound of hot or mild Italian sausage for 1 pound of the ground beef.

BOLOGNESE SAUCE

This is the classic ragu (stew style sauce), with a predominantly meat taste instead of the tomato emphasis that is most common in Americanized Italian sauce dishes. It is heavy and filling best saved for a chilly or damp day, but is a wonderful alternative to the customary pasta sauce. You can make it extra special by substituting 1/2 pound ground veal for 1/2 pound of the beef, but ground veal is not always available.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup each finely chopped celery and carrots
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon Herbs De Provence (or 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 can Campbell's chicken broth
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 small can tomato sauce (if needed)
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional fresh herbs at end of cooking time (optional)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, brown beef and pork in separate pan, breaking up meat with back of fork. Drain meat and add to vegetables. Add seasonings and stir well – simmer a few minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add milk and cook at low boil until all liquid evaporates (about 10 minutes). Add wine and cook at low boil for about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and tomatoes with their juices. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 1 hour 30 minutes, adding more broth or water if mixture is too thick and stirring occasionally, and skimming fat as it rises to the surface. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add mushrooms and optional tomato sauce if a more intense tomato flavor is desired. If available, add some fresh herbs – thyme, chopped basil, oregano, parsley. Cook at least 30 minutes longer, covered. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning. At this point, sauce can be held over low heat for up to an hour.

Cook pasta – spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine, drain and transfer to large warm bowl. Add some sauce and toss until well-coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve, passing a bowl or sauce and remaining Parmesan separately.

Makes 6 servings.