My husband says I’m trying to kill him. Mmhmm ... he’s a pussy. No one gets out of this life alive, and there are worse ways to die than by gustatory ecstasy. Not that fried chicken is gustatory ecstasy per se, but a tasty, farm-raised chicken, well-seasoned and perfectly fried, served with a chilled glass of really good Champagne, is fairly close to the pinnacle. Now, if the same (now perfectly chilled) chicken is quietly plucked from the fridge around midnight and served in the dark with a really good Champagne and a movie ... well, I think that’s the actual definition of gustatory ecstasy. I could be wrong -- you can look it up.
The Sparkling Wine:
Luxe is luxe. It’s decadent, creamy and toasty with an almost warm lemon exuberance to it -- at least that’s what it tastes like tonight. The lovely synergy between sparkling wine and fried food is the refreshing, palate-cleansing bubbles that cut through the dish’s richness. I want to believe it clears the richness right out of the arteries too, but I can’t prove that. You could look it up though.
The Fried Chicken:
A million recipes and not enough time or will to try more than a handful. In a nutshell: I believe in the Southern cooks before me and marinate in buttermilk; I like seasoning with a bit of a kick and a nuance of herbs; I definitely dredge, but am currently unconvinced of batter dipping (too much coating gets soggy); I prefer peanut oil or shortening, but would use grape seed or canola in a pinch; and the landing pad needs to be a wire rack (paper bags, paper towels & parchment just puddles ‘n sogs). Obviously it’s just an opinion. The web is full of finger-lickin’ chicken info; if the Google window is still open, you can look that up too, if you want.
Southern Fried Chicken
Serves 3 to 4
1 organic, free-range, farm-raised chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
2 Tablespoons dried thyme
2 Tablespoons chile powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Flour, for dredging
Peanut oil or shortening, for frying
Place chicken pieces and buttermilk into a glass bowl or ziplock bag; refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
Pour enough oil in cast iron skillet to come up almost halfway up the sides; heat to 325°. Drain chicken in colander. While chicken is draining, make spice mixture by combine 1 teaspoon salt with remaining herbs and spices in small bowl.
Transfer chicken to a large, paper towel-lined plate and season with kosher salt. Sprinkle all sides generously with spice mixture (keep uncontaminated, leftover mixture for popcorn or grilled steak, etc.).
Dredge chicken in flour and shake off the excess.
Place chicken, skin side down, into skillet - don’t crowd the pan; fry in batches if necessary. (The oil should come up half way up the sides.) Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 180°. Keep the oil temperature at 325°.
Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan.
Troubleshooting: if chicken is nicely browned on the outside, but still underdone inside; finish cooking in a 325° oven.
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