TERRY: I loved the takeaway version of chicken nuggets when I was young and a big basket of these chicken dippers will put a smile on anyone’s face. Something about the buttermilk batter makes all the difference—you’ll never go back!
SERVES 4
6 chicken breast fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
1¼ cups buttermilk
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
10 cups rice crispies
2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1. Place the diced chicken in a large bowl with the buttermilk, zest and lemon juice and leave to marinate for a couple of hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Mix all the remaining ingredients together, lightly crushing the rice crispies. Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk one at a time and toss in the seasoning mix, then place on a non-stick baking tray.
4. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 5 minutes before turning and cooking for another 4 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
FLAVORED MAYO
Mayo is such a versatile condiment—smooth and creamy with just the right amount of tang from the vinegar, it’s absolutely lovely on its own. But it really shines when it’s combined with other ingredients as a base to another sauce or dressing. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it!
STRAIGHT-UP MAYO
4 large free-range egg yolks
2 teaspoons English mustard
Splash of white wine vinegar
Sea salt and white pepper
2½ cups vegetable oil
Place the egg yolks, mustard, the white wine vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and white pepper in a food processor or blender and blitz to combine. Slowly trickle in the vegetable oil in a very thin stream. Take care not to let the mayo separate—patience is key! If the mayo does start to separate, a little warm water can sometimes do the job to bring it back. You can also thin the mayo with a little warm water if it is too thick.
CAESAR MAYO DRESSING
6 salted anchovy fillets (with a little oil from the can)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon warm water
Freshly ground black pepper
Use a pestle and mortar to grind together the anchovy fillets, a drizzle of oil from the can, the garlic and Parmesan. Add the anchovy paste to the mayo and mix well, adding the warm water to loosen the mixture a little. Season to taste with black pepper.
TARRAGON MAYO
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
Squeeze of lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
ROASTED GARLIC MAYO
10 garlic cloves
Canola oil
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the garlic cloves in a shallow roasting pan, drizzle generously with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until the garlic is soft and lightly golden. Allow to cool, then tip the garlic and any oil from the roasting pan into a food processor or blender and blitz to a smooth paste. Stir into the mayonnaise.
MUSTARD MAYO
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons English mustard
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
SMOKY KETCHUP
This is a nice way to kick your ketchup up a notch when you want a bit of extra spice.
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Good glug of Worcestershire sauce
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly.