Fried chicken is generally recognized as the South’s irresistible gift to cuisine, its ultimate comfort food. Fried chicken is in my soul. Both Mama and my grandmother would fix it for Sunday dinner. Dede called it “gospel bird,” as once upon a time, chicken was only served on Sunday. I remember cast-iron skillets that looked like satin—slick and midnight black—pulling the wishbone with my mother, and fighting with my sister over the drumsticks.
Georgia, where I live, is the biggest chicken producer in the United States (Americans eat a lot of chicken—almost ninety pounds a year per person). Several years ago, I visited a chicken facility and saw every last facet of chicken production, from egg to flash-frozen cooked chicken nuggets. I asked to see how they were killed; as someone who eats chicken, I felt it was important to remind myself that the platter of wings represents twelve actual chickens and that those cleanly wrapped boneless, skinless breasts came from animals.
The chickens were hung upside down by their feet in metal shackles, stunned, then passed through a machine that slit their necks. Not all were killed, so there was a man positioned at the end of a narrow room to finish the job. A double conveyor moved the hanging chickens along. On a platform about shoulder high, a man wearing a gas mask and a blue rubber hazmat suit, drenched in blood, was illuminated by a single beam of light. The scene was overwhelming, and one of the most powerful things I have ever witnessed. When I tell this story people often ask me if I still eat chicken. I do. But rarely will you ever hear me complain about my job.
At the market in France, it is possible to buy freshly killed chickens with feathers intact and even a little barnyard residue on their feet. Perhaps the most famous chickens in the world are from Bresse, an area in Burgundy just north of Lyon. White feathers, blue feet, and red combs—the colors of the French flag—make the birds appear especially French. They are the only poultry in the world with an AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée), a government regulated certification that guarantees that certain agricultural products are held to a rigorous set of standards. The birds are fed a diet solely of corn and milk and allowed free range with over ten square meters of space per bird in flocks no larger than five hundred, a far cry from factory farms. These birds are pricey. Metal bands are attached to their legs and a tricolor seal is placed on their necks for identification. When the birds are served in even the finest restaurants, these tags are not removed so that the customer is assured authenticity.
In the United States, chickens are classified according to their best uses: broiler-fryers are young chickens up to seven weeks old that weigh three to five pounds. (Smaller two- to three-pound chickens that were preferred for frying were once available, but these have seemingly disappeared, perhaps because it’s hard for producers to earn enough on smaller birds.) Roasters are three to five months old and weigh six to eight pounds. Stewing chickens are breeder hens no longer able to produce eggs. These older hens, ten to eighteen months old and weighing five to six pounds, are less tender because of their age. This makes them suitable for long, slow, cooking. A capon is a castrated rooster that weighs anywhere from four to ten pounds and is especially meaty and tender.
Modern farming has rendered some cooking techniques obsolete. Young chickens are bred to cook very quickly, and breasts from chickens are now larger, answering our demand for white meat. Factory-farmed chickens also contain plenty of fat, so it is no longer necessary to use lots of oil or butter to moisten the flesh or to truss our chickens tightly for roasting to keep the juices in the bird during the long cooking time and protect the leaner breast meat from drying out.
I find that people in general, terrified of salmonella, overcook chicken, especially the boneless, skinless breasts that are so low in fat and lack protective skin and bone. Many of the recipes in this chapter can be adjusted to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. What’s important to remember when adapting the recipes is that chicken is cooked when the juices run clear. If the juices run pink, it’s not quite done. If there are no juices, it’s overcooked. So, for example, when frying the chicken for Meme’s Fried Chicken and Gravy, boneless, skinless chicken breasts will only need eight to ten minutes for those juices to run clear, not thirty. When adapting the stew-like recipes such as Coq au Vin to boneless, skinless breasts, the chicken will be cooked long before the sauce has had a chance to thicken. So, cook the breasts in the sauce until the juices run clear, then remove them to a warm plate and cover with aluminum foil while you continue cooking and reducing the sauce. When the sauce is at the right consistency, return the breasts to the sauce to gently heat through.
Precut chicken pieces are often not uniform in size and shape, and they sometimes contain bits of shattered bone. It’s also more economical to cut it yourself. This exercise often elicits squeamish faces when I teach it in class. I’ve seen chicken cut into parts I never knew existed. Granted, it can be a bit challenging at first. Follow this step-by-step method. With practice, you will eventually master the technique. The key is to cut between the joints; in most instances, if you are struggling too much, your knife is not between a joint, but on a bone.
Finally, only touch the chicken with the hand not holding the knife. This will keep your knife hand clean and dry so the knife is less likely to slip and perhaps cut you, instead of the chicken.
Place the whole chicken, breast side up, on a clean cutting board. Remove the giblets and neck bone from the cavity and set aside. Position the chicken with the cavity facing away from you. Using a chef’s knife, remove the wing tips at the joints. Use the neck bone and wing tips for stock.
Pull the drumstick and thigh away from the body. Using a chef’s knife, cut through the skin only until your knife meets the thigh joint. Bend the leg-thigh portion back until the thigh bone pops out of the socket. Then, with the tip of your knife, cut around and through the joint at that point, to detach the leg-thigh portion from the body. Place the removed leg quarter on the board, skin side down, and look for a thin line of fat between the leg and thigh; this is the joint. With your knife, cut directly thought the joint. Repeat the process on the opposite side. Remove the pieces from the board and set aside.
Next, separate the breast from the back. Tip the chicken so that the neck end is on the board. Cut down through the rib cage, starting from the tail end and cutting to the neck. There is often a second thin line of fat you can use as a guide. Repeat on the other side. The breast and back should still be connected at the neck. Return the chicken to the board, breast side up, with the cavity facing you. Insert the knife into the cavity immediately to the right of the neck. Place the tip of the knife on the cutting board and forcefully bring down the handle of the knife, cutting through the bone to separate. Repeat on the opposite side. The chest and back are now separated. Set the back aside.
Place the chicken breast on the board, skin side down, and sternum facing up. At the tip of the breast, there is a pointed bit of cartilage that is easy to cut through. Cut the cartilage in half so that only the sternum remains uncut. Place the tip of your knife on the board, lined up with the cut in the cartilage. Align the blade on the sternum and forcefully bring down the handle, cutting through the bone. The breast is now separated into two pieces with wings still attached. Halve the breasts to create two pieces each for a total of four breast pieces.
Brining—soaking meat, poultry, and shellfish in a saltwater solution—is the key to a juicy, tender result. Salt causes the food proteins to form a complex mesh that traps the brine so the muscle fibers absorb additional liquid during the brining period. Some of this liquid is lost during cooking, but since the meat is juicier to begin with, it cooks up juicier at the end. Think of a cup filled “over the rim.”
The size of the salt grains used in a brine is very important. Grains of table salt are very fine, while those of kosher salt are larger. So, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt is equal to about ½ teaspoon of fine salt. The crystals of the two most widely available brands of kosher salt, Morton’s and Diamond Brand, differ. Half a cup of table salt is equal to 1 cup of Diamond Brand kosher salt or ¾ cup of Morton’s kosher salt. My recipes call for Diamond Brand because the conversion is easy at 2:1.
There’s no hard-and-fast rule for brining. But keep in mind that the more concentrated the brining solution and the smaller the piece of meat, the shorter the brining period. Common sense dictates that a turkey is going to take more time to brine than a pound of shrimp. A turkey is best brined in a weak solution for a longer period of time than needed for a whole chicken or breasts. It’s fairly easy to plan an overnight brine for a holiday turkey, but who has time to do the same for the main course of a weeknight supper? For smaller pieces of meat, my philosophy is to use a strong brine that takes an hour or less.
For turkey: for a 4- to 6-hour brine, dissolve 2 cups Diamond Brand kosher salt and 1 cup sugar per 2 gallons cold water. For a 12- to 14-hour brine, dissolve 1 cup Diamond Brand kosher salt and ½ cup sugar per 2 gallons cold water.
For whole chickens, chicken pieces, and pork: for a 1-hour brine, dissolve 1 cup Diamond Brand kosher salt and ½ cup sugar per 2 quarts water.
Serves 4 to 6
¼ cup coarse salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
4 cups buttermilk
4 to 6 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup fresh or panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Vidalia Honey Mustard Dressing, for accompaniment
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set a large wire rack on the foil.
To make the brine, combine the salt, sugar, paprika, garlic, and bay leaves in a large nonreactive container. Add the buttermilk and stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Immerse the chicken breasts in the brine and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Do not brine any longer or refrigerate, or the chicken will be too salty.)
Meanwhile, combine the panko and pecans in a shallow dish. Add the oil and toss well to coat. In a second shallow dish, combine the eggs, mustard, and thyme. Season both mixtures with pepper.
Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the brine and shake off any excess liquid. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Place the breasts in the breadcrumb mixture, sprinkle with crumbs to cover, and press so the coating adheres; turn the chicken over and repeat the process. Gently shake off any excess crumbs. Place the coated breasts on the rack set on the baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve each breast with a spoonful of dressing.
Serves 4 to 6
1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
½ teaspoon Hungarian paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped
½ green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder, preferably Madras
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice
1 cup golden raisins
½ cup sliced or slivered almonds, lightly toasted, for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
$20,000 Rice Pilaf, for accompaniment
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Combine the flour, paprika, and cayenne in a shallow bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Turn the chicken pieces in the flour mixture until coated. Shake off the excess flour. Set aside.
Line a plate with paper towels. To prepare the chicken, in a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Without crowding the skillet, cook the chicken, in batches, if necessary, until a rich, golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken pieces to the prepared plate to drain.
Decrease the heat to medium-low, and allow the fat to cool a little. Add the onion, green and red bell peppers, and garlic to the pan and stir until soft, but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, tomatoes with juice, and raisins. Season with salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the pan, cover, and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when pierced with a knife. Remove the chicken pieces to a shallow bowl or platter with a lip. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil to keep warm.
To finish the sauce, increase the heat to high and reduce the liquid until thickened, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon the sauce over the chicken and top with the toasted almonds and chopped parsley. Accompany with rice pilaf.
VARIATION: You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless breasts instead of bone-in pieces. Simmer the breasts as directed on top of the stove along with the other ingredients, but just until the juices run clear, only 8 to 10 additional minutes. Remove the breasts to a warm plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let the sauce continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Return the breasts to the sauce and finish as directed.
Chicken Fricassee with Garlic and Red Wine Vinegar
Serves 4 to 6
1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed, with liquid
1 cup chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
2 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs of thyme
To cook the chicken, season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil over medium heat in a large, straight-sided skillet or saucepan (not cast iron, as it will interact with the acidic tomatoes and vinegar). Add the chicken, skin side down, without crowding the pan. Cook without crowding until a rich, golden brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the vinegar and scrape with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stand back when adding the vinegar, because when it hits the hot pan it will produce strong vinegar fumes. Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, chicken stock, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear, an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
To make the sauce, remove the chicken pieces to a warm serving dish. Increase the heat to high, and cook the sauce until reduced and lightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the herbs. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.
VARIATION: You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless breasts instead of bone-in pieces. Simmer the breasts as directed on top of the stove along with the other ingredients, but just until the juices run clear, only 8 to 10 additional minutes. Remove the breasts to a warm plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let the sauce continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Return the breasts to the sauce and finish as directed.
Serves 4 to 6
1 (4-pound) chicken, cut into pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound (2 cups) solid vegetable shortening, preferably Crisco, for frying, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth, or 1 cup milk plus 1 cup chicken stock or broth
Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Set aside. Place the flour in a shallow plate and season with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Line a baking sheet or large plate with brown paper bags or several layers of paper towels.
Heat the shortening in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat until the temperature measures 375°F on a deep-fat thermometer.
Meanwhile, to fry the chicken, starting with the dark meat (since it takes longer to cook) and working one piece at a time, dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, turning to coat. Shake to remove excess flour. Reserve any leftover seasoned flour for the gravy.
One piece at a time, slip the chicken into the hot fat without crowding; the fat should not quite cover the chicken. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature at 375°F. At this stage, a splatter guard (a wire cover laid over the pan) may prove useful to contain the hot grease. The guard lets the steam escape, while allowing the chicken to brown nicely.
Fry the pieces, turning them once or twice, until the coating is a rich, golden brown on all sides, 10 to 14 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the juices run clear when pricked with a knife, an additional 10 to 15 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh should register 170°F.) Remove the pieces and drain on the prepared baking sheet. (Do not hold the chicken in a warm oven; it will get soggy.)
To make the gravy, remove the skillet from the heat. Pour off most of the grease, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons and any browned bits. Decrease the heat to very low. Add the butter and cook until foaming. Add 4 tablespoons of the reserved seasoned flour and stir to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the stock. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until the gravy is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add more stock or water to achieve the correct consistency. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serves 4 to 6
4 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves, with skin
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
Juice of ½ lemon
1½ cups mayonnaise
4 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and place in a shallow roasting pan. Drizzle over the oil. Bake until the juices run clear, about 1 hour to 1¼ hours, depending on the size of the breasts. Remove to a rack to cool.
When cool enough to touch, remove the skin from the breasts. Pull the meat from the bone. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, mayonnaise, and tarragon. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serves 4 to 6
1 (5- to 6-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed, plus 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
2 tablespoons canola oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 shallots, chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
Bouquet garni (3 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, and 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, tied together in cheesecloth)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 sprig of thyme, for seasoning
1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley, for seasoning
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, for seasoning
10 white button mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed, halved or quartered if large
16 to 24 pearl onions (4 for each person you plan to serve), trimmed and peeled
Place the chicken pieces in a large nonreactive bowl. Add the onion, carrot, celery, crushed garlic, peppercorns, and wine. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least several hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet and a plate with paper towels.
Transfer the chicken pieces from the marinade to the baking sheet. Pat them dry with additional paper towels. Strain and reserve the marinade liquid, reserving the vegetables separately.
To prepare the chicken, heat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Decrease the heat to medium, and add 1 tablespoon of the canola oil and heat until shimmering.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces to the pan, skin side down, and cook over medium heat until a rich, golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the browned chicken to the baking sheet; set aside.
Add the drained vegetables from the marinade to the pan, and cook until they start to color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to lightly coat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the Dutch oven. Add the reserved marinade liquid and enough stock so that the chicken is barely covered. Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil over medium-high heat on top of the stove. Cover and transfer to the oven.
Bake until the chicken pieces are tender and fall apart easily when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Or, to cook on top of the stove, bring to a boil, decrease the heat to very low and simmer until the chicken pieces are tender and fall apart easily when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
To cook the vegetables, in a skillet, heat the remaining 1 table-spoon of oil and the butter over medium heat. Add the sprig of thyme, sprig of parsley, bay leaf, mushrooms, and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until lightly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. Add the reserved bacon and toss to combine. Remove and discard the sprigs of thyme and parsley and the bay leaf. Set aside and keep warm.
To finish the sauce, once the chicken is tender and fully cooked, transfer the pan from the oven to the cooktop. Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl, cover, and keep warm.
Remove and discard the bouquet garni. In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the sauce and vegetables until smooth. Or, once the chicken is removed, ladle the sauce and vegetables into a blender and puree a little at a time until smooth.
Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon; thin with more stock, if needed, to achieve this consistency. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Lift the spoon out of the sauce and run your finger across the back of the spoon; if the line holds, the sauce is done.
Return the chicken to the sauce and turn to coat. Add the reserved mushrooms and onions. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until warm and the flavors marry and blend, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
VARIATION: You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless breasts instead of bone-in pieces. Simmer the breasts as directed on top of the stove along with the other ingredients, but just until the juices run clear, only 8 to 10 additional minutes. Remove the breasts to a warm plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let the sauce continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Return the breasts to the sauce and finish as directed.
Serves 4 to 6
1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken
1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
3 bay leaves, preferably fresh
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large lemon, quartered
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large carrot, chopped
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. To prepare the chicken, trim the excess fat from inside of the chicken cavity. Season the cavity with the herbes de Provence, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice into the cavity and then insert the used lemon quarters. Rub butter over the skin and season with salt and pepper. Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Set the chicken in a roasting pan, on a rack if you have one.
Roast the chicken for 15 minutes, then decrease the heat to 350°F. Roast for an additional 15 minutes, then add the carrot and onion to the pan. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a knife, an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables to a warm platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
To make the sauce, remove all but several tablespoons of the fat from the roasting pan and place the pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and increase the heat to high, scraping the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits.
Cook until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes more. Carve the chicken and pour any accumulated chicken juices from the cutting board into the roasting pan. Decrease the heat to medium. Whisk in the butter. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken with the sauce on the side.
Serves 4 to 6
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ pound chopped tasso or other smoked ham
2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 3 boneless, skinless thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Homemade Creole Seasoning
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
1½ cups long-grain rice
1 (4-ounce) can tomato sauce
2½ cups chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil and butter over high heat until shimmering. Add the tasso and cook until the meat starts to brown and render fat, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and sprinkle over the Creole seasoning. (If using tasso, go easy on the spice, otherwise it may be too hot.) Continue cooking over high heat until the chicken is just beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate.
Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the residual oil in the skillet. Cook until the vegetables start to color, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the rice and stir to coat. Stir in the tomato sauce and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, stirring once, until the rice is tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven to a rack to cool slightly. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Chicken Saltimbocca with Country Ham
Serves 4 to 6
4 to 6 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
16 to 24 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
8 to 12 paper-thin slices country ham, prosciutto, or Serrano ham (about 6 to 8 ounces total)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more if needed
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup Marsala or port
¾ cup chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
Coarse salt
To prepare the cutlets, place a chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to slightly over ¼ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Place 4 fresh sage leaves on each cutlet; top with 1 or 2 slices of ham and press lightly to adhere. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate to set, at least 10 minutes.
Place the flour in a shallow dish and season with pepper (no salt is necessary because of the salty ham). To cook the cutlets, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 2 pieces at a time, dredge both sides of the chicken in flour, then shake off the excess flour—the chicken should be lightly dusted. Without crowding, add 2 pieces of chicken to the skillet, ham side down first, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil if necessary.
To make the sauce, pour off any excess oil from the skillet. Return the skillet to the heat. Add the wine and Marsala and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits. Add the stock and increase the heat to high. Cook until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with fresh sage, and serve.
Serves 4 to 6
½ cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to slightly over ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup dry white wine
1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, chanterelle, morel, shiitake, or white button), sliced
1 ounce dried cèpes, reconstituted and liquid reserved (see below, optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Place the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
To cook the chicken, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon each of the oil and the butter over medium-high heat until very hot. Working with 2 pieces at a time, dredge both sides of the chicken in flour, then shake off the excess flour. Without crowding, add the 2 pieces to the skillet, and brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter, and chicken.
To make the sauce, pour all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet. Return the skillet to the heat. Decrease the heat to medium. Add the wine, using a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mushrooms, cèpes and strained liquid, thyme, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the mushrooms over the chicken and serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6
½ cup water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup peanut oil, plus more for the grate
2 tablespoons hot sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning the chicken
1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
Prepare a charcoal fire using about 6 pounds of charcoal and burn until the coals are completely covered with a thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread the coals evenly over the grill bottom, position the grill rack above the coals, and heat until medium-hot (when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill surface for no longer than 3 or 4 seconds). Or, for a gas grill, turn on all burners to High, close the lid, and heat until very hot, 10 to 15 minutes.
Combine the water, vinegar, peanut oil, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and salt in a squirt bottle. Set aside.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Apply some oil to the grill grate. Place the chicken on the grill, leaving plenty of space between each piece. Grill until seared, about 1 to 2 minutes per side for legs and thighs, and 3 or so minutes for breasts. Move the chicken to medium-low heat or reduce the heat to medium; continue to grill, turning occasionally and squirting with the marinade, until the juices run clear when pierced, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove the pieces from the grill as they cook and transfer to a warm platter. Give them a final squirt of sauce for flavor and serve immediately.
Serves 10 to 12
ROAST TURKEY
2 gallons water
1 cup Diamond Brand kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, neck and giblets reserved for stock
Freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs of thyme
4 fresh sage leaves
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, peeled
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
TURKEY GIBLET STOCK
Neck and giblets from the turkey
5 cups water
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, halved
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
GIBLET GRAVY
4 cups Turkey Giblet Stock
2 large onions, preferably Vidalia, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, hard-cooked and finely chopped
To brine the turkey, combine the 2 gallons water, salt, and sugar in a large, nonreactive bucket or stockpot, if storing in the refrigerator, or in an insulated cooler, if not. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for up to 14 hours. If using a cooler, add ice or freezer packs to keep the bird very cold. Remove the bird from the liquid and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position an oven rack in the lowest part of the oven.
To roast the turkey, season the bird inside and out with pepper (no salt is necessary because of the brining). Place the celery, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, and onion in the cavity. Working from the cavity end, loosen the skin without tearing by running your fingers between the skin and flesh of the breast. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter under the skin and spread evenly. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine and fold the wings under the body. Transfer the turkey to a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over the skin.
Roast for 30 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F. Baste the turkey with pan drippings and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh registers 165°F, about 2 to 2½ hours.
Meanwhile, prepare the giblet stock. While the turkey is roasting, place the neck, heart, and gizzard in a medium saucepan. (Do not add the liver now because it will make the stock bitter.) Add the water, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small saucepan and discard the onion and bay leaf. Finely chop the heart and gizzard and set aside. Using a small paring knife, remove as much of the meat as possible from the neck bone. Set aside with the chopped heart and gizzard. Keep the stock warm.
Transfer the turkey to a rimmed cutting board or warm serving platter. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.
Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. Remove the rack from the roasting pan and set aside. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a fat separator and set aside. The fat will rise to the top and the juices and dark drippings will stay at the bottom. If you do not have a fat separator, pour the juices into a glass measuring cup and remove the fat with a metal spoon; reserve the fat and the drippings.
Pour the separated drippings into a large liquid measuring cup. Add enough of the reserved giblet stock to make 4 cups. Set aside.
Place the roasting pan across two burners on the cooktop over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat and the onions. Cook until clear and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced to ½ cup, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and cook for 1 minute. Add the turkey stock mixture and any turkey juices accumulated on the platter and bring to a boil.
In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, blend together the flour and butter to make a paste (beurre manié, French technique for thickening sauces). Whisk the flour mixture into the gravy, and decrease the heat to low. Finely chop the reserved liver and hard-cooked eggs and add to the gravy. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and the liver is cooked, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve, carve the turkey and arrange on a serving platter. Transfer the gravy to a serving boat and pass around with the turkey. Serve with plenty of cornbread dressing and biscuits.
Mama’s Quail in Red Wine Sauce
Serves 4 to 6
8 (4- to 6-ounce) quail
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup canola oil, plus more if needed
8 sprigs of thyme, plus more for garnish
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tie the legs of the quail together with kitchen twine. Season the quail with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish and lightly season with salt and pepper. Coat the quail in the flour, shaking off the excess.
To cook the quail, heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quail without crowding and sear on both sides until the birds are a dark, golden brown color, about 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle thyme sprigs over the birds and transfer the skillet to the oven. Continue cooking until the quail are cooked through but still pink, an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the quail to a warm platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
To make the sauce, pour off the excess oil. Place the skillet on top of the stove over high heat. Add the red wine and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is well reduced, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the stock and continue to simmer until reduced by half, an additional 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Whisk in the butter. Return the quail to the sauce and spoon over the sauce to coat. Serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6
¼ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley, and thyme)
3 shallots, very finely chopped
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Cornish game hens (about 1½ pounds each), spatchcocked (see below)
¼ cup dry sherry or white wine
1 cup chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the herbs, shallots, orange zest, and butter in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Loosen the skins of the hens without tearing by running your fingers between the skin and flesh of the breast. Place a little of the herb butter under the skin of each bird and spread evenly. Season the hens with salt and pepper, then rub the skin with the remaining herb butter. Place the hens, skin side up, in a large roasting pan.
Roast until the birds are golden brown and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Transfer the hens to a large warm platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
Place the roasting pan on the cooktop over medium heat. Add the sherry to deglaze the pan and loosen the brown bits on the bottom. Add the chicken stock and orange juice. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the hens to serve.
