RECIPE: TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

People usually associate Southern cooking with three things: Biscuits, BBQ, and Fried Chicken. I probably need to get my passport revoked because I have not until today, put up a single blog post or recipe on fried chicken. Fried chicken is a lot like BBQ sauce or potato salad. Every Southern cook has their own version and usually, a couple of good stories to go with it. Here's mine...

My mom grew up in a children's home in Troy, Alabama during very hard times. The kids all had to have a job and my mom always preferred to be in the kitchen. Once a week there would be fried chicken and they would have to go out in the yard and catch the chicken, kill it, clean it and then help cook it. Ugh. Hard to imagine. Mom taught me how to cut up a whole chicken and her techniques for frying. The big secret is the buttermilk. Don't skip that step... makes the chicken so juicy.  Here is my mom's recipe. I still use her cast iron skillet when I make it.

I don't often make fried chicken these days but when I do, it is always the star of the party.

TRADITIONAL BUTTERMILK SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken with skin, cut up (about 3 pounds)

2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon kosher salt + 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon black pepper + ½ teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon paprika

3 cups self-rising flour

6-8 cups Canola oil for frying based on the size of your skillet or Dutch oven

Special equipment: Thermometer for frying and a meat thermometer

DIRECTIONS:

Put the chicken pieces in a large zip top bag. Pour the buttermilk over it and close. Toss to coat all of the chicken. Put the bag in a bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours to soak, turning the bag occasionally.

When you are ready to fry, fit a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven with a thermometer. Pour in the oil about 1 ½ to 2’ deep. Over medium high heat, bring the oil up to 360 degrees. You want to try to keep the oil at 360 during frying process. It will drop as you put in the chicken but let it come back to 360 degrees before adding more.

Combine the 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, cayenne, and paprika. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and discard the buttermilk. Season the chicken liberally with the spice mixture on all sides.  

Put the flour plus 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a zip top bag. (Back in the day, we used a brown paper bag.) Take the chicken, one or two pieces at a time and put into the flour mixture. Shake well to coat. Lightly shake off excess. Put on the baking rack after you have coated each piece.

When the oil is up to temperature, use the tongs to carefully put the coated pieces of chicken into the hot oil. Do this in batches, taking care not to overcrowd or put too many pieces in the pan at one time. You will lower the oil temperature and the skin will not be crispy. Cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until the chicken is deep golden brown and delicious. Remove one piece of chicken and check the temperature with a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the breast or thigh but away from the bone. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F. Drain on a rack covered with a brown paper bag. You may want to lightly sprinkle the hot chicken with a little salt. That’s how my mom did it. Hope you like it as much as I love remembering those days standing by the stove with my mom, on chicken duty.

RECIPE: MY MOM'S SPICY SOUTHERN CHEESE STRAWS

My mom would always make these spicy cheese straws for the holidays and was sure to have them waiting for us for almost every celebration. A Southern staple for teas, weddings and showers, you can make these as wafers, as shown, or use a cookie press to shape them into straws. I find the wafers faster and easier-- plus I can roll the dough into a log and freeze. That way I can just slice and bake when guests pop in or when I am in need of a quick bite to serve with a glass of wine or Champagne.

I want to mention that this dough always looks like it is not "wet" enough once you mix it. Do not be tempted to add additional butter or liquid. It will come together. Just use your hands to form it. You'll see.

Baked cheese straws are always on the table for parties and celebrations in the South. This is my mom's recipe- one I've used for 30 years.

SPICY SOUTHERN CHEESE STRAWS * Wafer version

Skill Level: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes        Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

 INGREDIENTS 

1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes*

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Dash Tabasco or to taste

 DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Chill the cheese well and grate it using a food processor or the side with large holes on a box grater. Set aside.

NOTE: I make this recipe in a food processor because I find it easier but you do not have to use a food processor. My mom never had one. Just mix in a bowl.

In a food processor, add the flour, salt and pepper and pulse 10-12 times to blend. Add the butter. Turn the food processor to "run" for 10 seconds. The result should be like coarse cornmeal. If it is not, pulse a few more times. Add the cheese and the hot sauce. Pulse just until the cheese is incorporated. Turn the food processor to "run" for 5-6 seconds. 

*NOTE: If you intend to pipe the dough into straws, you may obtain a better/easier to pipe result if you melt the butter rather than use cold butter and leave the cheese at room temperature. See directions for piping into straws below. Many of the old school southern recipes call for melted butter or margarine. Margarine results in a crisper straw.

(Note: If you do not have a food processor, mix the dry ingredients together. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter and the cheese into the flour. Add the hot sauce and mix well.)

For wafers: Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap for wafers. Shape it into a log using your hands and roll the dough up in the plastic. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to secure and put into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. To bake, remove the plastic wrap and slice into discs, place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a rack.

(Note: Another option is to use a very small ice cream scoop to portion uniform balls onto the prepared pan. Using a fork, (which you may need to flour) press each one, creating the design shown above.)

For straws: Place the dough into a cookie press or pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Push the dough into one corner of the bag and press the air out. Snip the tip and pipe them into 3” long strips about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and edges.

Yield: 2- 4 dozen depending on the size and shape. You can get 55-60 wafers from this recipe using a small ice cream scoop or melon baller.

RECIPE: CHOCOLATE BOURBON PECAN PIE

My mom made a pecan pie for every occasion- and I mean she made the crust, too. This is the one time I always opt for a store bought pie crust, however. For a spin on a traditional pecan pie recipe, I added two ingredients I can’t live without: Kentucky bourbon and chocolate. Exchange this for your Thanksgiving Pecan Pie and you will make it every year. Melt some extra chocolate for plating!

My Food Network Star friend Emily Ellyn's sister Molly sent me this photo of my Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie after she made the recipe. Molly raved about it... and this family knows food and knows how to cook! Yay!

Try my Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie for a twist on the traditional Southern Pecan Pie recipe. Leave out the bourbon if you must but the chocolate is a sweet surprise and always a big hit for Thanksgiving dessert!

CHOCOLATE BOURBON PECAN PIE

Prep Time: 20 minutes  Cook Time: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 store bought refrigerated pie crust

1 ½ cups pecans, chopped

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup dark corn syrup

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

¼ cup Kentucky bourbon

4 large eggs

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons all purpose flour; divided

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Lightly dust the top and bottom of the crust and your rolling pin. Lightly roll to remove any creases. Drape over your rolling pin and transfer to your pie pan.

Fit the crust into a 9-inch pie pan and fold the edges under. Using a fork, crimp the edge of the crust. Spread the pecans and chocolate chips evenly onto the bottom of the crust; set aside.

For the filling: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the corn syrup and both sugars. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add the bourbon.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and add the butter, flour, vanilla, and salt. Temper the egg mixture by whisking 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg mixture, ½ cup at a time. Once tempered, add the remaining hot mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour the filling over the chocolate and pecans.  

Sit the pie pan on a baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake at 325°F for 55 minutes or until set; cool on a wire rack. 

Over a double boiler, melt additional chocolate chips with a little heavy cream to make chocolate drizzle for serving.