WHICH CAME FIRST?
Serves 6
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Nobody knows, and that’s not what’s important. What’s important is that this is a very simple, delicious, home-style Southern preparation. We begin with hollowed-out eggs filled with savory buttermilk custard, topped with aromatic grated truffles, and served in a nest of hay. Crisp, succulent fried chicken is tucked into a generous helping of creamy corn grits and accompanied by seared Brussels sprouts, spinach puree, and seared chicken breast. Braised chicken thigh has a comforting chicken soup quality and deep-fried cock’s combs add intrigue and a wonderful crispy-tender texture to the mix. (Cock’s combs may not sound tasty, but when prepared correctly using both wet and dry heat, they take on the same airy crunch as a pork rind.) This presentation is made up of several simple preparations that combine to create a complex study in the chicken and the egg.
COCK’S COMBS:
25 grams cock’s combs, cleaned
Canola oil for frying
1.5 grams salt
CHICKEN JUS:
1000 grams chicken stock
5 grams unsalted butter
EGGSHELLS:
6 large eggs
250 grams water
50 grams citric acid
BUTTERMILK CUSTARD:
240 grams buttermilk
240 grams heavy cream
25 grams sugar
113 grams (about 6 large) egg yolks
2.5 grams salt
BRAISED CHICKEN THIGH:
5 grams canola oil
25 grams carrots, cut into large dice
25 grams onions, cut into large dice
250 grams bone-in chicken thighs
1000 grams chicken stock
3 thyme sprigs
5 grams salt
SEARED CHICKEN BREAST:
250 grams boneless chicken breast
1 gram salt
15 grams canola oil
GRITS:
125 grams whole milk
125 grams chicken stock
50 grams stone-ground grits
40 grams mascarpone cheese
40 grams unsalted butter
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste
SPINACH PUREE:
5 grams canola oil
125 grams spinach
10 grams garlic, sliced
10 grams shallot, diced
SEARED BRUSSELS SPROUTS:
10 grams unsalted butter
5 grams vegetable oil
100 grams Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
60 grams water
0.5 gram salt
FRIED CHICKEN LEG:
Canola oil for frying
2 chicken legs
1 gram salt
50 grams all-purpose flour
25 grams eggs, lightly beaten
MICRO COLESLAW:
2.5 grams olive oil
2.5 grams fresh lemon juice
Salt for seasoning
60 grams micro mizuna (see Sources, here)
TO FINISH:
10 grams black truffle
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Dehydrator (optional)
Egg topper
Straw or hay for plating
COCK’S COMBS:
Put the cock’s combs in a medium stockpot filled with water and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 3 hours. Remove the combs from the pot of water and run under cold water to cool. Pat dry and put the combs on a dehydrator tray or a sheet pan. Dehydrate at 90°F for 12 hours, or in the oven at the lowest setting until completely dry, 8 to 10 hours.
Preheat a deep fat fryer or pot of oil on the stove to 375°F.
Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Once the cock’s combs are dry, break them into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Fry the cock’s combs 1 piece at a time, until they triple in size, and transfer immediately to the prepared sheet pan. Season with salt and, once cooled, reserve in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to plate.
CHICKEN JUS:
Put the stock in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and immediately reduce the heat to low. Let the stock reduce for 4 to 5 hours until you have about ½ cup of liquid remaining. It should have a syrupy texture and retain its shape when a spoon is dragged through it. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Keep warm in a small saucepot until ready to plate.
EGGSHELLS:
Using an egg topper, remove the top of the eggs and pour out the insides, reserving the egg for the custard. Put the topped eggshells back into the egg carton to hold them up. Put the water and citric acid in a bowl and whisk until the acid dissolves. Pour the liquid into the egg shells, filling them as close to the top as possible. Let them sit for 30 minutes at room temperature to loosen the membranes inside the shells. Pour out the citric acid mixture. Carefully peel the membranes out of the eggs and discard. Reserve the Eggshells for the custard.
BUTTERMILK CUSTARD:
Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Combine the buttermilk, cream, and sugar in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set over medium heat and bring the mixture up to 160°F. Remove from the heat. Put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk to blend. Slowly drizzle in some of the hot buttermilk mixture to temper the yolks, whisking constantly until the egg yolks are warm. Then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the hot buttermilk mixture and season with the salt.
Trim half of a cardboard egg carton to fit inside a deep baking dish. Put the egg carton in the dish and set the eggshells in the compartments. Fill each eggshell with custard, leaving a ½-inch space at the top. Add just enough hot water to the baking dish to cover the carton. Bake the custard for 30 to 45 minutes, until just set. Remove from the oven and transfer to the refrigerator to cool. Hold the custard-filled eggshells in a dry carton in the refrigerator until ready to plate.
BRAISED CHICKEN THIGH:
Put the canola oil in a medium saucepot set over medium-high heat. When the oil has just begun to smoke, add the carrots and onions and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are tender. Add the chicken thighs, stock, thyme, and salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and braise for 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Remove from the heat and transfer the thighs to a rack set over a sheet pan to cool completely. Once cool, shred the meat from the bone and reserve in a bowl with a little bit of the braising liquid. Keep warm until ready to plate.
SEARED CHICKEN BREAST:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Season the chicken breast with the salt. Put the oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and has just begun to smoke, sear the breast, skin side down, until it is a deep golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer pan to the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a plate, breast-side up, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the breast just before plating.
GRITS:
Combine the milk and stock in a small saucepot set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle in the grits, whisking constantly, and then reduce the heat to low. Cook, whisking occasionally, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the grits are tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone and butter. Season with salt and lemon juice to taste. Cover and keep warm until ready to plate.
SPINACH PUREE:
Put the canola oil in a cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the spinach, garlic, and shallot and sauté until the spinach is wilted. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree on high for 1 minute, adding water if necessary, until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve and keep warm in a small saucepot until ready to plate.
SEARED BRUSSELS SPROUTS:
Put the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once the fats are hot, add the Brussels sprouts and sear for 2 minutes. Add the water to the pan, cover, and let the sprouts steam through for 1 minute. Remove the cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates. Season with salt and transfer to a plate to cool.
FRIED CHICKEN LEG:
Preheat a deep fat fryer or pot of oil on the stove to 350°F.
Season the chicken legs with salt. Put the flour in a mixing bowl and the eggs in another bowl. Dredge the legs in flour, then dip them in the eggs, and then back in the flour for a final coating. Lay the coated legs in a baking dish until you need them. Line a plate with paper towels. Fry the chicken legs one at a time for 6 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to the prepared plate and let the legs rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into 3 to 4 pieces per leg.
MICRO COLESLAW:
Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt in a small mixing bowl. Toss with the micro mizuna just before plating.TO FINISH:
Create 6 small nests out of straw or hay and tuck them into the bottom of 6 small wooden bowls. Set 1 Buttermilk Custard–filled eggshell in each nest. Grate a generous amount of black truffle into each egg with a Microplane grater. Put 50 grams Corn Grits onto the center of each large plate. Top with 40 grams of Braised Chicken Thigh. Add 30 grams of Seared Brussels Sprouts. Fan 40 grams of sliced Seared Chicken Breast on top of the braised thigh. Add a small piece of Fried Chicken Leg and top with a piece of fried Cock’s Comb. Dot 20 grams of Spinach Puree around the plate. Top the dish with 10 grams of Micro Coleslaw. Finally, drizzle 20 grams of Chicken Jus onto the sliced Seared Chicken Breast and serve immediately.
