I'm really enjoying learning some of these classic American dishes that I love in restaurants and have always been too lazy to make. KFC eat your heart out. Fried chicken and potato wedges is still one of my favorites and, even though I can appreciate how easy they are to get at the grocery store deli, these recipes had surprisingly excellent flavor and weren't as difficult as I feared. The ingredients were also inexpensive which I like.
Halfway through this meal I wasn't sure how it would come out. I kind of forgot to put rosemary on the rosemary potatoes and I still have issues fully coating stuff that needs to be fried (my fingers get all gunky and the flour mixture gets all gunky and it just doesn't work right) but I was very pleased with the outcome.
(Side note: I did cheat a little... I'm not ready to cut up a whole chicken yet so I bought pieces. It worked just fine and I don't feel guilty cause why would they sell pieces if they really expect people to cut up whole chickens?)
OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN
Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style
2 chickens, cut in 8 pieces each - 1 qt. buttermilk - 2 C. flour - 1 T. kosher salt - 1 T. freshly ground black pepper - Vegetable oil or vegetable shortening
1. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot to a depth of 1 inch and heat to 360 degrees.
3. Working in batches, place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown. Remove the chicken from teh oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 before frying the next batch. When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot.
BAKED "CHIPS"
Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style
4 large baking potatoes, unpeeled - 4 T. good olive oil - 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt - 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 1 tsp. minced fresh garlic - 1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half in thirds lengthwise. You'll have six long wedges from each potato. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together, making sure ht potatoes are covered with oil. Spread the potatoes in a single layer with one cut side down.
2. Bake the potatoes for 30-35 minutes, turning to the other cut side after 20 minutes. Bake until they are lightly browned, crisp outside and tender inside. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
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