Oh My Damn

I have been craving chicken and waffles for weeks. It started when the bootleg version of Roscoe's opened in Chicago. Bootleg is the kindest word I have for the foolishness surrounding the Bronzeville restaurant that I think was a year in opening.

Needless to say, because the Chicago version was named Rosscoe's, I had reservations about going. I also have issues about going to restaurants for soul food. Clearly it's something I can do at home. I really like going to restaurants to be challenged and inspired; I like to eat things that I haven't made at home before. So yeah, CPK -- once I nail your crust, it's a wrap! I also had my "Phil" of chicken and waffles at Phil the Fire in Cleveland (RIP).

Back to the subject. I skipped church today. I know; I'm a heathen. I had power chains put on my braces last week and I have had a killer intermittent toothache. Today I gave up and reached for Vicodin, so I figured not driving would be a good thing. The extra time at home gave the chance to rock a f'o' real breakfast.

Let's get started. We've fried chicken before. Brine it, flour it and get it into some hot grease. Drain it on a wire rack.

Moving on to the waffle -- this is my first waffle from scratch! Yea! I turned to Cook's Illustrated for the recipe because they had a recipe for two. This is the fluffiest waffle ever. I'm no longer missing The Waffle House.

Here's the setup: egg yolk whisked with melted butter; flour, baking powder, corn meal and salt; buttermilk; and an egg white beaten to stiff peaks. The genius in me decided to do this by hand. About 10 minutes later, I had stiff peaks.

Make well in the center of the flour mixture and add the liquid. Whisk gently until the mixture almost comes together. Be gentle! You don't want tough waffles!

Now, switch to a spatula and fold in the egg white.

Now you're ready to add the batter to a preheated waffle iron. Bake until desired level of brown. I don't like Belgium waffles anyway, but I must say that thin waffles are wonderful in this dish. I've had the dish before with the thick waffles and it just wasn't working for me.

Let's assemble, shall we? Get some syrup and butter. For years, I have melted the butter inside the syrup. Sometimes I add hot sauce to my ketchup. Shortcuts are a good thing.

Add your chicken. I have to put in a plug for the boneless, skinless chicken breasts here. I especially love them in this dish because everything can be eaten with a knife and fork -- all in one bite. Trust me. If you brine your chicken properly, you won't even miss the skin. Pour a little syrup on the chicken.

Grab the hot sauce and decorate the chicken accordingly.

You are now ready to get yo' eat on.

Damn. That was good.

Tools of the trade:

• Le Creuset Large Spatula
• Villaware Waffle Maker
• French Whisk

Sunday Favorite

Okay. So my last two posts have been about fried foods; check out the blue cheese potato chips and fried catfish if you haven't seen them. I've posted about fried chicken before, but now I'm revisiting it. (Once you break out oil, you tend to fry a whole lot of stuff.) This is the recipe I use when I have time to plan ahead -- buttermilk brined fried chicken. Believe it or not, this works with boneless skinless chicken breasts, which I almost always have on hand.

Grab a container for the soak. My favorite is my 8-cup measuring cup. Dump some salt in the bottom. I never measure, so I can't tell you how much. If you need precise measurements, check out Cook's Illustrated's Ultimate Crispy Fried Chicken recipe. Throw in some spices or use an all-purpose seasoning like Tony Chachere's. Add some freshly smashed garlic. I also add fresh herbs (lots of them). Add your buttermilk and stir well (you want to dissolve the salt.)

Drop in the chicken breasts and refrigerate for at least four hours. I let mine sit for eight hours and the flavor was unbelievable!

Now, pull the chicken from the brine and shake of any excess liquid. Dip into seasoned flour (don't add salt.) Shake off any excess flour. Dip it back into the buttermilk brine and then back into the flour. This double-dipping is worth it.

Now, let the chicken rest on a wire rack for 30 minutes. This helps the adhere to the meat and gives you that crispy crunch. The longer you let it sit (refrigerated of course), the crunchier your chicken will be. Check again with Cook's Illustrated to see what the max air drying time is. This time, I went straight to the skillet after dipping. There's no difference in taste. I think you do lose more of the flour to the bottom of the skillet when you don't let the chicken air dry.

Now, heat your oil. I didn't use a thermometer. I just add a pinch of flour to the oil and watch it fry. If it sinks to the bottom, the oil is too cold. If it burns to a crisp, the oil too hot. When the oil is right, carefully add the chicken to the pan. DO NOT MOVE IT AROUND!!! Fry until golden brown on the bottom, flip and fry the other side. The second side will cook faster.

Drain on a cooling rack or go old school and place the chicken on some paper towels.

Isn't that beautiful??!!

Leftovers note: This chicken is amazingly good cold out of the refrigerator the next day! When I have this as leftovers, I never reheat it. It even stays crispy after days in the fridge.

Tools of the trade:

• Totally Bamboo Butcher Block
• Shun Santoku
• Lodge Logic Cast Iron Skillet
• Oxo Tongs
• Pyrex 2-Qt Measuring Cup

Good Luck in '08

New Year's has to consist of black-eyed peas and cabbage for good luck. I decided to throw some fried chicken into the mix this year. It's soul food day!



This is a very easy meal to cook because you only really have to watch the chicken. You can almost leave the peas and cabbage to cook themselves. Besides, you don't have to measure anything.

Peas first. A few years ago, I was absolutely distraught because there were no dried black-eyed peas at the grocery store. I had to resort to frozen peas. Now I only use frozen peas!

First, give your flavoring agents a head start. I use smoked turkey wings and onion.
Add water and simmer. I don't know for how long. I use the time to prep everything else, fold clothes, etc. Check the broth for seasoning. Add the peas. Simmer, uncovered, until the black-eyed peas tender, I think mine take a couple of hours. How easy is that? When they are done, the broth will have thickened.
Moving on to the chicken. I'm using wings today. Rinse and pat dry. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you have the time, you should brine the chicken and/or give it a overnight soak in buttermilk. I've found that for wings, the coating we'll add below is pretty protective, so if you're pressed for time, you can skip the brining and soaking.
Set up your breading station: three shallow dishes and a cooling rack set over a pan. Add flour to the first and third dishes, buttermilk to the second. Season all three.
Here is where the debate starts. What's the best seasoning combo? Whatever you like. I will say that this is a great time to break out the seasoned salt and lemon pepper. Hot sauce in the buttermilk saves you a step when you get ready to eat. Make sure you taste the flour. It should taste good! If you're bold, taste the buttermilk too ... I take a leap of faith on mine. The dipping sequence is dry-wet-dry. Make sure you shake off any extra flour or buttermilk before continuing to the next phase.

Place the dipped pieces on a cooling rack. Put the chicken, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, longer if you have the time. This sets the crust. You'll be rewarded later.
Move on to the cabbage. Start by heating a small amount of olive oil -- just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Saute a smoked turkey wing. I strip the skin and meat from the bone and throw all three into the oil. The traditional way is to fry some bacon and use the drippings for the cabbage. I do it this way because I don't eat pork and turkey bacon doesn't generate enough drippings or flavor by itself.

Prep your cabbage -- cut it in half. cut out the core. Chop and rinse.
Add the cabbage to the oil (you should hear a sizzle). Add it in layers -- cabbage, salt and pepper; cabbage, salt and pepper.
Clamp the lid on and lower the heat to a simmer. Wait about 30 minutes and stir. It should be ready in about an hour. When it's done, I throw in a splash of vinegar.
Back to the chicken. Heat the oil. My starting temp is between 350 and 375. I use canola oil in a cast iron skillet. The oil should come about 3/4 of the way up the chicken. Carefully place the chicken into the pan. Leave it undisturbed until golden brown. I'm using new oil, so golden brown is a bit difficult to achieve. The next time I fry, golden brown will be a snap.

Flip it and brown the other side. A spatter screen is real helpful during this process. Drain on a clean cooling rack.
This meal goes best with cornbread, sweet tea or a Coke!

Best wishes for a blessed New Year!
Tool of the trade:

• Williams-Sonoma Breading Trays
• Shun Santoku
• Shun Chef's Knife
• All-Clad Soup Pot
• All-Clad Dutch Oven
• Totally Bamboo Butcher Block
• Strainer
• OXO Tongs
• Lodge Logic Cast Iron Skillet