Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Page 28
If you don’t have a chance to season the chicken and let its skin dry out overnight, season it as early as possible, then pat it dry with a paper towel before you begin to cook it. It’ll help achieve a similar effect.
4-pound whole chicken
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
The day before you plan to cook the chicken, spatchcock it (or ask your butcher to help!). Use heavy-duty kitchen shears to snip down along both sides of the spine (the underside of the bird) and remove it. You can start from the tail or neck end, whichever you prefer. Once you’ve removed the spine, reserve it for stock. Remove the wingtips and reserve them for stock, too.
Lay the chicken on the cutting board, breast side up. Push down on the breastbone until you hear the cartilage pop and the bird lies flat. Generously season the bird with salt on both sides. Place it breast side up into a shallow roasting dish and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
Pull the bird out of the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it. Preheat the oven to 425°F, with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven.
Heat a 10- or 12-inch cast iron pan or other skillet over medium-high heat. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. As soon as the oil shimmers, place the chicken in the pan, breast side down, and brown for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden. It’s fine if the bird doesn’t lie completely flat as long as the breast is in contact with the pan. Flip the bird over (again, it’s fine if it doesn’t lie entirely flat) and slide the entire cast iron pan into the oven on the prepared rack. Push the pan all the way to the very back of the oven, with the handle of the pan facing left.
After about 20 minutes, carefully use an oven mitt to rotate the pan 180 degrees so the handle faces right and return it to the very back of the top rack.
Cook until the chicken is brown all over and the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh, about 45 minutes.
Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Spicy Fried Chicken
Serves 4 to 6
* * *
Gus’s in Memphis makes the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted. Once, on my way through town, I had lunch there alongside the after-church crowd. Spicy, crisp, and perfectly seasoned, this fried chicken was a revelation. Though I begged the cooks for any hints about how they got the crust so crisp and the chicken so tender, they didn’t reveal anything, so I returned home and started to experiment. After cooking a whole lot of fried chicken, I found that cracking a couple of eggs into the buttermilk, as well as double-dredging, resulted in a crust that held up. And while I’m fairly certain the folks at Gus’s don’t use smoked paprika, I’m now addicted to brushing this sweet-and-smoky spice oil all over the chicken before serving it, so I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do it another way. Unless Gus’s finally gives up their recipe.
4-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces, or 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot sauce (my favorite is Valentina!)
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 to 8 cups grapeseed, peanut, or canola oil for frying, plus 1/4 cup for the spicy oil
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin, finely ground
1 garlic clove, finely grated or pounded with a pinch of salt
Prep the chicken in advance of cooking. If using a whole chicken, cut it into 10 pieces—follow the instructions on the previous page to get 8 pieces and then add in the wings for a total of 10 pieces. Save the carcass for your next batch of Chicken Stock. If using thighs, bone them out (refer to page 318 for instructions) and cut them in half. Season generously with salt on all sides. I prefer to season chicken the night before, but if you don’t have that much time, try to give the salt at least an hour to diffuse throughout the meat before cooking. Refrigerate the chicken if seasoning more than an hour in advance; otherwise, leave it out on the counter.
Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the flour and 2 generous pinches of salt together in another bowl. Set aside.
Place a wide, deep pan over medium heat. Add oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches, and heat to 360°F. Begin dredging the chicken, one or two pieces at a time. First, dredge in flour and shake off the excess, then dip into buttermilk, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then return to the flour mixture and dredge a final time. Shake off the excess and place on a baking sheet.
Fry chicken in two or three rounds, letting the temperature of the oil drop to and hover around 325°F while the chicken cooks. Use metal tongs to turn the chicken occasionally, until skin is a deep golden brown, about 12 minutes (closer to 16 minutes for large pieces, and 9 minutes for small pieces). If you are unsure that the meat is cooked through, poke through the crust with a paring knife and peek at the meat. It should be cooked all the way down to the bone, and any juice the meat gives off should run clear. If the meat is still raw or the juice has the slightest hint of pink, return the chicken to the oil and continue cooking until it’s done.
Let cool on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Combine the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, cumin, and garlic in a small bowl, and add the 1/4 cup oil. Brush the chicken with the spicy oil and serve immediately.
Variations
• For even more tender meat, marinate the seasoned chicken in the buttermilk overnight, as with Buttermilk-Marinated Roast Chicken.
• To make Classic Fried Chicken, omit the hot sauce and spicy oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon paprika to flour and prepare as above.
• To make Indian-Spiced Fried Chicken, omit the hot sauce and spicy oil. Season the chicken in advance with 4 teaspoons curry powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper in addition to salt. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon paprika to the flour mixture and prepare as above. Make a glaze by heating 1 cup mango chutney with 3 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Brush onto the cooked chicken and serve immediately.
Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 6 to 8
* * *
I didn’t grow up eating any classic American comfort foods. I think that’s precisely why I’ve developed an obsession with pretty much all of them. Especially Chicken Pot Pie. With a creamy sauce, tender chicken, and flaky pastry, it’s homey and sophisticated all at once. Early on in my cooking career, I decided I wanted to master all the nuances of Chicken Pot Pie. This recipe is the result.
For the filling
4-pound chicken or 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large celery stalks, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound fresh cremini, button, or chanterelle mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine or dry sherry
1/2 cup cream
3 cups Chicken Stock or water
1/2 cup flour
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
For the crust
1 recipe All-Butter Pie Dough, but chill the dough in a single piece, or 1/2 recipe Light and Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, or 1 package store-bought puff pastry
1 large egg, lightly whisked
Prep the chicken in advance of cooking. If using a whole chicken, follow the instructions on page 318 to quarter it, and save the carcass for your next batch of Chicken Stock. Season generously with salt. I prefer to season chicken the night before, but if you don’t have that muc
h time, try to give the salt at least an hour to diffuse throughout the meat before cooking. Refrigerate the chicken if seasoning more than an hour in advance; otherwise, leave it out on the counter.
Set a large Dutch oven or similar pot over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot. When the oil shimmers, place half of the chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down, and brown evenly on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Carefully discard the fat and return the pot to the stove over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, bay leaves, and thyme. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to take on color and soften, about 12 minutes. Pour in wine or sherry and deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon.
Nestle the browned chicken into the vegetables. Add the cream and chicken stock or water and increase the heat to high. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Remove the breasts, if using, after 10 minutes of simmering, but cook dark meat for a total of 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, then transfer cooked chicken to a plate and allow the sauce to cool. Discard the bay leaves and thyme. After the sauce sits for a few minutes and the fat rises to the top, use a ladle or wide spoon to skim it into a liquid measuring cup or small bowl.
In a separate small bowl, use a fork to combine 1/2 cup of the skimmed fat with the flour into a thick paste. When all the flour has been absorbed, stir in a ladleful of cooking liquid and combine. Return this thick liquid to the pot and bring the entire sauce back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce no longer tastes of raw flour, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set the oven rack to a center-high position.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and chop the skin finely. Save the bones for stock. Add the shredded chicken and skin, peas, and parsley to the pot. Stir to combine, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from the heat.
If using pie dough, roll out into a 15 by 11-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick, and cut at least 4-inch-long steam holes in the dough. If using biscuits, cut out 8 biscuits. If using puff pastry, gently defrost and unroll the dough, then cut at least 4-inch-long steam vents in the dough.
Pour the filling into a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic pan or shallow baking dish of similar size. Lay the prepared dough or puff pastry over the filling and trim the dough to leave a 1/2-inch border around the lip of the pan. Tuck the dough back under itself and seal. If the dough won’t stick to the pan on its own, use a little bit of the egg wash to encourage it to stick. If using biscuits, gently nestle them into the filling so that they’re exposed about three-quarters of the way. Brush dough, puff pastry, or biscuits thoroughly and generously with egg wash.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the dough or pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Serve hot.
Variations
• If you have a surplus of roasted or poached poultry on your hands, or just want to pick up a rotisserie chicken on the way home after work, cook the vegetables on their own. Add 5 cups shredded, cooked chicken or turkey to the mixture and use butter to make the flour paste.
• For Personal Pot Pies, use the same recipe to make 6 individual pot pies in 16-ounce ovenproof bowls or ramekins. Bake as directed above.
Conveyor Belt Chicken
2 thighs per serving
* * *
Though I’ve been cooking chicken this way for fifteen years, Conveyor Belt Chicken got its name one recent evening after I went surfing with my friend Tiffany. We were consumed with the unique brand of hunger that hits you only upon emerging from the ocean. She thought she had chicken thighs in the fridge, but I knew we didn’t have time to roast or braise them—we’d gnaw our arms off before that could happen. We needed dinner, and quick.
As she drove us home, I told her we’d bone out the thighs and season them with salt. Then we’d cook them in a little olive oil, in a preheated cast iron pan over medium-low heat, skin side down, with another cast iron pan (or foil-wrapped can of tomatoes) weighing them down. Combining moderate heat with the weight encourages the fat to render, leaving behind crisp skin and tender meat. It’s dark meat that cooks up as quickly and easily as white meat. After ten minutes or so, we’d flip the chicken, remove the weight, and let the meat cook through for two minutes more. Dinner would be ready in twelve minutes flat.
When we got home, we realized she had chicken breasts, not thighs, so we grilled them and made a salad that night. By the time we were eating dinner and my blood sugar levels had returned to normal, I’d completely forgotten about the thighs.
Tiffany didn’t. The next night, she sent me a photo: she’d gone to the store, bought thighs, made the chicken according to the vague description I’d given in our hunger-addled state. With their brown, crisp skins and tender meat, they looked perfect, and apparently, they tasted perfect, too: after taking a bite, Tiffany’s husband, Thomas, had declared he wanted to build a conveyor belt of this chicken straight to his mouth.
Thomas is one of my favorite people, so I do my best to make his dreams come true. When we eat together, I make Conveyor Belt Chicken every time, with cumin and hot pepper for chicken tacos, or with saffron and yogurt for Persian-ish Rice, or just seasoned simply with salt and pepper, served with Herb Salsa and whatever vegetables we can get our hands on to roast. I’m not so handy, so I’ll leave the construction of the conveyor belt to Thomas.
Chicken Confit
serves 4
* * *
Take a page out of the French farmwife’s handbook and keep confit on hand to save you from dinnertime desperation. Easy enough to make while you watch a movie or do the Sunday crossword, there’s no reason not to try this recipe. I make a big batch once or twice each winter. I just stick it in the fridge, where it quickly makes its way to the back of the bottom shelf, a spot I rarely think to look. But I inevitably find it just when I need it most—when an unexpected friend shows up for dinner, or I just can’t muster the energy to cook. And, every time, I give silent thanks to that thoughtful, industrious earlier version of myself. You will, too.
If you can’t find or make duck fat, pure olive oil will work just fine. But if you do make the effort to find or render your own duck fat, you’ll be rewarded in flavor. (There aren’t many other uses for duck fat in the kitchen, but for roasting or frying potatoes, the excess fat from confit is an unforgettable one.) Serve the chicken and potatoes with a pile of arugula or chicories dressed in a bright, Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette (page 240) and spoonfuls of Herb Salsa for a welcome acidic contrast.
4 chicken legs, with thighs attached
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, halved
About 4 cups duck or chicken fat or olive oil
Prep the chicken a day in advance. Use a sharp knife to slit the skin at the base around each drumstick, just above the ankle joint. Cut all the way around, down to the bone, making sure to sever the tendons. Season with salt and pepper. Layer in a dish with the thyme, cloves, bay leaves, and garlic. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To prepare, remove the aromatics and lay the legs into a large Dutch oven or pot in a single layer. If using duck or chicken fat, warm gently in a medium saucepan just until it liquefies. Pour enough fat into the Dutch oven or pot to submerge the meat, and then heat over a medium flame until the first bubbles emerge from the chicken. Reduce the heat so that the fat never surpasses the slightest simmer. Cook until the meat is tender at the bone, about 2 hours.
(Alternatively, cook the whole thing in the oven, at about 200°F. Use the same cues to guide you as in stovetop simmering.)
When the meat is cooked, turn off the heat and let
it cool in the fat for a little while. Using metal tongs, carefully remove the chicken from the fat. Grab the bone at the ankle end to avoid tearing the skin.
Let the meat and fat cool, then place the chicken into a glass or ceramic dish, strain the fat over it, ensuring it’s completely submerged. Cover with a lid. Store in the fridge for up to 6 months.
To serve, remove the chicken from the fat, scraping off excess. Heat a cast iron pan over a medium flame, and place chicken, skin-side down, into the pan. As with Conveyor Belt Chicken, use the weight of a second, foil-wrapped cast iron pan to help render the fat and crisp the skin. Place the pan on top of the chicken and heat gently to crisp the skin at the same rate the meat reheats. As you start to hear crackles, rather than sizzles, pay closer attention to the meat so it doesn’t burn. Once the skin is browned, flip the chicken and continue reheating the leg on the second side without a weight. The whole process will take about 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Variations
• For Duck Confit, cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
• For Turkey Confit, increase duck fat to 9 cups and cook 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.