What I Did For Independence Day Lunch

Dredging the chickenses in flour & corn starch...

frying...







Hamly goodness!













Rewarding the kitchen staff!










Why We Love Edna Lewis...










Oh My God... Totally Fucking Delicious.

Edna Lewis' Fried Chicken!

If you missed my food commentary during the second hour of WNYC's Morning Edition today, Click here to listen! or play it here:



It's called "Independence Day Through Food" , and it's about my tradition of serving Edna Lewis' Fried Chicken every July 4th. Interested chicken fryers can scroll down to read the recipe. Over 24 hours to prepare, but trust me, it is so worth the effort.

Praise the Lord and pass the Lard!

Our Founder

We Love Edna!

(Adapted by Tamara Reynolds)


One 4.5 lb whole chicken, cut into 8-10 parts, or 3-4 packs of thigh parts, skin ON

Salt Water Brine** see below

1 Quart Buttermilk

1/8 tsp Cayenne -- more if you like it spicy!

1 lb lard (Fresh is best-- see your local bodega)

1 stick butter

1 good sized hunk of country ham

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tbs Cornstarch

Salt and Pepper to taste.


** Salt water brine: The ratio is: 1/4 cup Kosher salt for each quart of water. Dissolve salt in water.

Start 24 hours before you want the chicken to be ready. Cover chicken with brine mixture in a non reactive pot or bowl, refrigerate. DO NOT use table salt: disaster will ensue. Brine chicken in saltwater for between 9 to 13 hours.

Remove chicken from brine. In another pot or bowl, combine the buttermilk and cayenne, add brined chicken, mix with your hands until coated, cover and refrigerate for another 12 hours. Wash your hands thoroughly, since raw chicken is like napalm!

Remove bowl from refrigerator, and let mixture sit until it nears room temperature. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine.

Heat lard and butter together in a deep skillet (ideally cast iron) to 375 degrees. Slice the country ham into a few slices, and fry pieces for about 10 minutes, until crispy. You may be tempted to skip this step, but don't. It is so worth it. The ham deepens the lard flavor.

While the ham is sizzling away, prepare your flour and cornstarch mixture in a wide shallow pan (I use a cake pan, but you get the idea.) Also, set up a large plate with wadded sheets of paper towel to drain cooked chicken pieces.

When the ham is crispy, remove from lard, drain, and share with the first person who comes into the kitchen and offers to help you... Dredge buttermilk coated chicken parts in the flour/cornstarch mixture. Add pepper. Dredge each piece twice, so that it is heavily battered.

Drop each piece into 375 degree fat. Do not overcrowd skillet, or the temperature will drop, and the chicken will not cook properly. Two pieces at once is ideal, or you can use multiple pans, if you're cooking for a crowd. Turn each piece after about 6-8 minutes per side. Watch your temperature! Parts are done when they float to the top of the lard, and are crisp and golden brown.

Drain on wadded up paper towels. Salt, and serve.

This is so good, it will make you cry.


Tamara Reynolds

Sardine Dinner

This was grilled sardines, grilled escarole with bagna cauda, Gurhan's eggplant salad, skordalia, salt boiled potatoes (good God, y'all), Turkish flat beans and cucumber salad. Grilled peaches were an improvisation -- hot grill + peaches + homemade vanilla Ice cream makes EVERYONE happy!

The "F**king Delicious" Video

Enjoy...

Feesh Poached In Duck Fat!

The invite from May 2007.....
Hey Hungry Kiddies...

If you are planning to see your mom on Mother's Day, (Um, yeah. That is THIS weekend) consider dropping in to our place first. Here, you can eat and drink your way into whatever courage you will need, and no one will ask you if you picked up your room yet!

Zora is off pounding the streets of Cairo, but I have lots to celebrate (engagement, new job) and also need to use some of that 20 lbs of duck fat my butcher is storing for me! So I am thinking fish, possibly salmon, poached in duck fat, romesco potatoes, green rice, (yeah, baby! 2 starches!!!) quick pickled cucumbers, asparagus in avgolemono sauce, and watercress/parsley salad. Wash it all down with Mom's 1970 Double Chocolate Bundt Cake,. and you have a spring dinner worth hauling your ass to our house for!!

Knockerl?

We (The Bad News Bears of cooking) have returned from New Orleans, sunburned, and yet somehow refreshed. I can honestly say that I could go another week without eating a fried oyster. This Saturday marks the return of Zora as chef, and I will go back to chopping and drinking duty. The weather is changing, my friends... flowers are popping up, the air is warming, green veggies are showing their little faces in the market... and, since we had such a terrible deluge of rain last weekend, why not join us for a smashing spring menu THIS SATURDAY NIGHT? Menu is as follows:

• Fresh Berkshire Ham (via Heritage Foods) slooooow-roasted with herbs and garlic
• Roasted Artichokes with Burrata (oh man...)
• Bulgur Pilaf With Sour Cherries and Caraway
• Purslane Salad With Garlic Yogurt Dressing
• Something green, springy and delicious to be named later...
• Und ze Salzburger Knockerl! Wunderbar!

"What Nockerl!"
"Oh, sank you doktor!..."

Frankly, you should come just so you can go to work on Monday and brag about your extraordinary Salzburger Knockerl eating skills...

Also from March 2007...

Hello again, Hungry Kiddies--

What better plan to welcome in early Spring (!?!?) and break in the new apartment than Chicken Fried Steak and Red Velvet Cake? None that I know of. I am thinking all soul food-- pickled shrimp, Chicken fried steak, grits, cream gravy, collards... you get the picture. Don't worry-- there will be other veggies too. I have not made CFS since the fateful "Election Day Cafe" so it is time to brush off and get back on that horse, damnit!

A menu from March 2007

Spring lamb, probably simmered with pomegranate molasses and saffron, romaine lettuce with peas, zucchini and mint braise, artichokes, fiddleheads and/or ramps if I can find them, some wild mushrooms. Passionfruit Pavlovas for dessert. Think a spring forest foraged dinner, if one had to do such things these days.