MAIN DISHES, SIDE DISHES, SOUPS, AND MORE
Buttermilk brings good things to lunch and dinner in main dishes, side dishes, hearty breads, and soups.
If you don’t soak chicken in buttermilk before you fry it, why on Earth not? Buttermilk tenderizes the meat, helps ensure a good coating, and adds flavor. Pump it up by adding heat to the soak and the coating. But I have to warn you: You’ll be spoiled. Once you fry your own chicken, you’ll never be happy with a bucket of bird again.
MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS
1 whole chicken, cut up, or 8 of your favorite chicken pieces
1 quart buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne (optional, if you like it hotter)
½ teaspoon salt
Place the chicken in a large bowl with a lid or a large reclosable plastic bag. In another bowl, stir together the buttermilk and hot pepper sauce. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the chicken, making sure all the pieces are covered. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook the chicken, pour enough vegetable oil into an electric frying pan or heavy frying pan to come to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat on medium-high heat to 350°.
Drain the chicken but do not rinse it. Combine the flour, chili powder, cayenne (if using), and salt in a large reclosable plastic bag. Put 3 or 4 pieces of chicken into the bag and shake to coat them. Shake off the excess flour when you remove the pieces. Place the pieces in the hot oil but do not crowd them. Adjust the heat to keep the oil temperature at 325°–350°. You may cover the pan briefly to keep down spatters, but do not cook the chicken completely with the pan covered or the crust will be soggy.
Fry the pieces for 5–8 minutes, or until the undersides are brown. Turn with tongs and cook another 5–8 minutes, adjusting the heat if the pieces are browning too quickly. The chicken is done when the internal temperature is 180° on an instant-read thermometer or when no pink juices run out when the meat is pricked with a sharp knife.
Drain the pieces on wire racks set over plates before serving.
Traditional Indian tandoori chicken uses a yogurt marinade. My buttermilk version is easy enough to make even a weeknight dinner exotic. The acid in buttermilk makes meats as tender as magnolia petals.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
1 small onion, sliced
6 boneless chicken breast halves
Olive oil
Chutney (optional)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, curry powder, turmeric, garlic, salt, and onion until combined. Place the chicken in a reclosable plastic bag, then pour the buttermilk mixture over it. Turn the bag to be sure all the chicken is covered, then refrigerate for 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Remove the chicken, onion, and garlic from the marinade and place them in a nonstick baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, cover, and bake for 45 minutes, or until no pink juices emerge when the chicken is pierced with a sharp knife. Serve with your favorite chutney, if desired.
There are some people who want the flavor of fried chicken without the shower of oil that can cover your kitchen when making it. The problem I’ve found with most baked “fried” chicken is that it lacks crispness. The solution: crunchy cornflakes. This recipe is from my cookbook Wings: More Than 50 High-Flying Recipes for America’s Favorite Snack (John Wiley & Sons, 2009). You can use larger chicken pieces, but allow a longer soak in the buttermilk (closer to overnight) and possibly a longer cooking time.
MAKES 24 PIECES
12 wings, cut in half at the joints, wing tips removed and discarded
2 cups buttermilk
5 cups coarsely crushed unsweetened cornflakes
4 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Place the wings in a reclosable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. Refrigerate for 2–3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Drain the wings but do not rinse them. In a large bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Roll the wings in the mixture, pressing the coating in lightly. Place the wings on the baking sheet. Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until done.
My friend Martha Waggoner in Raleigh, North Carolina, was waiting in line at a pharmacy and got to talking to the guy behind her. Turns out he was a chef, and he gave her the crucial part of this technique for cooking her favorite seafood: soaking the crabs in buttermilk. “I don’t know what it does,” Martha says, “but they turn out really tender.” It’s the witchcraft of buttermilk, Martha.
MAKES 2 MAIN-DISH OR 4 APPETIZER SERVINGS
4 soft-shell crabs
About 2 cups buttermilk, or just enough to cover the crabs
A few shakes of hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
All-purpose flour seasoned with salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Place the soft-shell crabs in a shallow dish. In a bowl, stir together the buttermilk and hot pepper sauce. Pour the combination over the crabs and let sit for about 5 minutes. Place the seasoned flour in another shallow dish. Remove the crabs from the buttermilk. Don’t rinse them, but let the excess buttermilk drip off. Dredge the crabs in the seasoned flour.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, slip in the crabs. Fry them for a few minutes until the undersides are lightly browned, then turn them over and fry the other side. Serve warm.
Cooking fish this way is a revelation. The fish comes out very tender and sweet, and if you’re one of those people who don’t like “fishy tasting” fish, this method is for you. It even makes frozen fish taste better. Another buttermilk miracle.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
4 6-ounce fillets of fish such as tilapia, snapper, flounder, trout, or perch
Salt and black pepper
3–4 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Place the fish fillets in a saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold them in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in enough buttermilk to just cover the fish. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Simmer the fish for 2 minutes, then use a spatula to turn over the fillets and cook for another minute, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Remove the fish from the pan with a slotted spatula and keep warm.
Place the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Stir and cook for a few minutes, until the onion and garlic are soft but not brown. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Pour the butter mixture over the fish and serve immediately.
Adam Close, the executive chef at Blossom Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, believes that cooking with buttermilk is a southern tradition. This dish is one of the most popular on the menu.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
FOR THE RED PEPPER REMOULADE
1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed
¼ cup chopped parsley
4 green onions, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
FOR THE CALAMARI
1 pound squid (rings only)
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ tablespoon white pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 gallon peanut oil
Lemon wedges, for serving
To prepare the Red Pepper Remoulade, combine all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Cover and refrigerate. The remoulade may be made a few hours ahead.
To prepare the calamari, rinse the squid, drain well, and pat dry with a paper towel. In a stainless steel bowl, combine the squid and the buttermilk and let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to cook, combine the flour, garlic powder, paprika, white pepper, and salt. Remove the squid from the buttermilk and add it to the seasoned flour, tossing to coat well. Make sure all the moisture is absorbed by the flour.
Put the oil in a pot large enough to contain it with plenty of room to spare. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350°. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature, keeping in mind that the calamari will somewhat cool the oil once it is added.
Shake off the excess flour from the calamari and add it to the hot oil. Cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to overcook it, then remove with a slotted spoon. Place the calamari carefully on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Serve with lemon wedges and Red Pepper Remoulade.
This quiche makes a quick lunch or brunch dish. Buttermilk adds a special flavor that regular milk lacks.
MAKES 1 9-INCH QUICHE
1 9-inch piecrust, unbaked
1 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
¾ cup buttermilk
¾ cup milk
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 9-inch quiche pan or pie pan with the crust. Sprinkle the sundried tomatoes, Parmesan, and basil evenly over the crust.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, eggs, and flour until smooth. Stir in the salt and pepper. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the piecrust. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is set.
I wrote an entire cookbook on potato salad, but I found that I lacked one recipe. Buttermilk inspired this brand-new recipe.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 pounds yellow potatoes
¾ cup chopped celery
¼ cup dill pickle cubes, drained
In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish until smooth. Stir in the chives, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You can refrigerate the dressing overnight, if you like.
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until a sharp knife passes easily into them. Drain and let cool until you can handle them, then peel them and cut them into chunks. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the celery and dill pickle cubes. Pour on the dressing and toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, for several hours. Serve chilled.
Enough butter and cream will make any mashed potatoes good. But it takes real talent to make cauliflower and parsnips into a side dish that usurps potatoes’ spot at the table. Buttermilk is the star.
MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS
½ pound parsnips
1 head cauliflower
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Bring a large pot of water to boil while you peel the parsnips and cut them into small chunks. Cut the cauliflower into florets. When the water comes to a boil, put in the parsnips, cauliflower, and garlic. Boil for about 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are very soft. Take them out at different times, if necessary. Drain well.
Put the drained, but still warm, vegetables into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a potato masher or the mixer’s paddle attachment to thoroughly work in the butter, then add the buttermilk. Mash or beat until the mixture is very smooth. Stir in the Parmesan. Taste, then add salt and pepper (a lot of pepper is good, I think). Using a spatula, stir in the chives. Serve warm.
Asian rice dishes often include coconut milk. I wondered what would happen if I created a version using buttermilk. Good things, that’s what happened. Add more serrano pepper if you like things hot. You could even throw in some spinach or peas if you don’t have a pea-hating husband like I do.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup chopped green onions
1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup raw basmati rice
1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
½ teaspoon garam masala
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped mint
Place the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the green onions and serrano pepper and cook for a few minutes, until soft but not brown.
Put the rice and 2 cups of water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, then stir in the ginger, garam masala, and salt, plus the contents of the sauté pan. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is done.
Empty the rice mixture into a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes, tossing occasionally with a spoon. When it has cooled slightly, stir in the buttermilk, cilantro, and mint.
I am so tired of hearing the same old gripe from okra-phobes—slime, slime, slime. Fine, y’all. I defy you to find a drop of slime in this crispy, buttermilk-dipped okra.
MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS
1 pound small okra pods
2½ cups buttermilk
1 cup white or yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
About 2 cups vegetable oil
518 West’s Buttermilk Dressing (page 78), for dipping (optional)
Rinse the okra pods and cut off any long stems, but leave the pods whole. Pour the buttermilk into a bowl. In a shallow pan (a pie pan is good), stir together the cornmeal, flour, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Pour enough oil in a frying pan to come to a depth of about 1 inch. Place over medium heat.
Get ready to fry. Line up your ingredients like this: okra, buttermilk, flour mixture. Dip the okra in the buttermilk, let the excess drain off, then roll in the flour mixture and gently tap off any excess. Place the pods in the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t turn them too often or you may knock off the crunchy crust.
Let the okra drain on paper towels and sprinkle with additional salt, if needed. Serve as is or with 518 West’s Buttermilk Dressing as a dip.
Can it be a southern Thanksgiving without corn pudding on the table? Classic corn pudding is a creamy, mild blend, but sometimes tradition needs a little kick in the kernels. Sit this version next to the bird and get everyone talking.
MAKES 6–8 SERVINGS
3 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen, no need to thaw)
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup canned chopped green chilies, drained
4 green onions, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1½ cups buttermilk
½ teaspoon chili powder
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 1½ to 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
The best kind of cornbread is the kind your mother made, but here’s my frisky version. Every good cornbread starts with buttermilk and should be cooked in a heated cast-iron frying pan to achieve the crispy exterior that contrasts with the fluffy interior. My pan is more than fifty years old—my mother received it as a wedding present—and is as nonstick as Teflon after decades of seasoning. Use good-quality, stone-ground cornmeal. I like to purchase mine locally.
MAKES 6–8 SERVINGS
2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 (8.25-ounce) can creamed corn or ½ cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon canned chopped green chilies, well drained
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg
Preheat the oven to 350°. Place a cast-iron frying pan in the oven to get superhot. When the pan is hot, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and chili powder. In another large bowl, combine the buttermilk, corn, chilies, sugar, egg, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Stir until well mixed. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir only until combined and no lumps remain. Don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the hot pan.
Bake for 30–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm straight from the pan.
Where I grew up in western North Carolina, we baked our corn-bread. But friends from the eastern part of the state praise fried cornbread. Luckily, the construction guys working on my house the day I tested this recipe were from eastern North Carolina, and they compared mine in detail to the kind their grandmothers made. I think these patties would make an interesting base for a southern-style eggs Benedict.
MAKES 10–12 PATTIES
1½ cups yellow or white cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ cups buttermilk
½ cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen, thawed, and drained)
About 2 cups vegetable oil
In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir in the buttermilk, then the corn.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the batter for each patty and place it in the hot oil, pressing gently to spread it out to about a ¼-inch thickness. Don’t make the patties too thick or they will not cook all the way through. Don’t crowd the pan, and adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking too quickly. Fry the patties for about 2 minutes or until brown, then flip them and cook the other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.
The guest of honor at the pig-picking had emerged from a brine in the host’s bathtub and was perfuming the yard around the cooker when I met Rochelle Myers from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. She was standing over a pot of hot oil in which floated light pillows of cornmeal. Rochelle, chef-owner of Rochelle Myers Catering and Cooking Classes and a freelance food writer for the Frederick (Maryland) News-Post, was kind enough to share her recipe with me.
MAKES 3–4 DOZEN HUSHPUPPIES
3 cups self-rising white cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 small Vidalia onion, diced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
Vegetable oil
Sea salt
In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, onion, and sugar. Form a well in the center. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and bacon fat. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well. Stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
Heat a deep-fat fryer or large pot of vegetable oil to 340°. Drop the batter into the oil from a large spoon, or scoop the batter using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop. Fry the dough for about 1½ minutes per side, turning when golden brown.
Remove the hushpuppies from the fryer and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.
The texture of these light rolls and the herb fragrance are irresistible. My tasters said, “Awesome! Do not even need butter!” and suggested using leftover rolls as a base for chicken pot pie.
MAKES ABOUT 30 ROLLS
1 (¼-ounce) package instant dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
¼ cup warm water
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup plus about 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided
3 cups bread flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Stir together the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the warm water. Let sit until frothy.
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the buttermilk just until it feels warm when you dip in a finger. Do not overheat the buttermilk or it may curdle. When the buttermilk is lukewarm, remove it from the heat and stir in ¼ cup of the melted butter. Add the buttermilk mixture to the yeast and stir together gently with a fork.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1 table spoon of sugar into a large bowl. Gently stir in the herbs. Pour the buttermilk-yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together with a large spoon. By hand or using the dough hook of a stand mixer, beat the dough for 3–4 minutes, until it is soft and smooth but not spongy.
Place the bowl in a shallow baking pan containing hot tap water, cover it with a light tea towel, and place it in a warm, draft-free spot. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until approximately doubled in size.
When the dough has risen, punch it down. Spray a rimmed baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pull off a piece of the dough about the size of a ping-pong ball, dip it in the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and place it in the baking pan. Repeat with the remaining dough. Leave enough space between the rolls for the dough to rise, about a couple of inches. Do not overhandle the rolls, just pinch, tuck under the rough end, and dip in butter. Cover the baking pan with a light tea towel, place it in a warm, draft-free spot, and let the rolls rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the rolls for about 18 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool cucumbers and icy buttermilk—what a way to chill out on a fiery summer day. This is a great do-ahead soup for a summer dinner party.
MAKES ABOUT 4 1-CUP SERVINGS
4 large cucumbers
4 green onions
2½ cups buttermilk
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
Peel the cucumbers, remove and discard the seeds, and cut them into chunks. Cut the green onions into chunks, using the green and white portions. Put the cucumbers and green onions into a food processor and process the vegetables to a coarse purée.
Add the buttermilk, salt, and dill. Process until the soup is smooth. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
Chill the soup for 3–4 hours. Serve cold in chilled bowls or shot glasses.
A whole butternut squash can be a hard nut to crack, but with a sharp knife and a steady surface, you can do it. Or you can find already cut-up chunks of butternut squash in supermarket produce sections, which makes this soup even easier to prepare. Boil or roast the squash as you prefer.
MAKES ABOUT 4 1-CUP SERVINGS
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 cup water
1 stalk lemongrass (about 3 inches), split lengthwise and lightly crushed
2 cups mashed cooked butternut squash
2 cups buttermilk
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste, if needed
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the onion and ginger. Stir and cook for a few minutes, just until the onion is soft. Add the water and lemongrass, raise the heat to medium-high, and simmer 5–6 minutes, until the water is mostly gone. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
When the mixture is cool, use tongs to remove the lemon-grass pieces and discard them. Place the onion mixture and the butternut squash in a blender with the buttermilk and purée until smooth. Taste and add salt, if needed.
Chill for several hours and serve cold. Add a little water if the soup thickens while chilling. Sprinkle each serving with cilantro.
I love the color of this soup. It’s especially nice when the summer tomatoes, peppers, and basil are flooding in and I’m looking for different ways to use them.
MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup chicken broth
2 roasted red bell peppers, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 small tomato, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1½ teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, just a few minutes. Remove from the heat.
Place the chicken broth, roasted red bell peppers, buttermilk, tomato, salt, pepper, and sugar in a blender along with the cooked onion and garlic and purée until smooth. Stir in the basil, cover, and refrigerate for several hours. Serve cold.