Shelly's Recipe

COCA COLA BRINED FRIED CHICKEN

Category: Chicken

For chicken
•12 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
•4 cups Coca-Cola
•1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
•2 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
•1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
•3 tablespoons coarse salt
•3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

For batter
•1 large egg
•3/4 cup peanut oil
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•2 teaspoons coarse salt
•4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
•1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
•1 tablespoon onion powder
•1 tablespoon garlic powder
•2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•Peanut oil and lard for frying
•Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Pickle garlic relish (recipe follows)
To brine chicken: Rinse chicken, drain and set aside. Combine remaining brining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until salt dissolves. Put chicken in the brine, cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 4 hours.

To make batter: Whisk the egg well in a stainless steel bowl and add peanut oil and 21/2 cups water. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining batter ingredients, then add the dry mixture to the egg mixture, whisking slowly so the batter doesn't clump.

To fry chicken: Fill a large cast-iron skillet halfway with equal amounts of peanut oil and lard. Slowly bring temperature to 375 degrees (use a deep-fat thermometer).

While oil is heating, remove chicken from brine and place in a colander in the sink. Once chicken has drained, pat dry with paper towels (a critical step) and season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in batter and place it (carefully) in hot oil. Adjust heat, as the chicken will bring the oil temperature down dramatically -- you want it back up to just above 350 degrees. Turn chicken regularly using tongs to prevent burning. After 8 or 9 minutes, remove a piece, prick it to the bone with a fork and mash it. If juices run clear, it's done. Continue cooking if necessary. Drain on brown paper bags or paper towels.

Serve chicken with pickle-garlic relish. Cover any leftovers with a dish towel and leave out at room temperature (or in the fridge, if you must, although my grandmother never did). This keeps it crisp.


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Gretchen McKayEmail AuthorCall 412-263-1419Feature writer Gretchen McKay began her career at the Post-Gazette in 1992 as a freelance correspondent, covering municipal government and local school boards. She went on staff in 1997 as an education reporter. Today, the Ben Avon resident writes primarily about her true loves in life: homes and food. The mother of five, she also contributes to the PG's Parent Exchange blog.A graduate of Penn State with a degree in English, Gretchen earned a master's degree in professional writing from George Mason University in Virginia. While living in Hong Kong in the mid '80s, she worked as a writer/editor of "Off Duty," a military lifestyle magazine. She has also worked as an editor for the national magazine "First For Women."Gretchen is the recipient of several awards, including third place in the 2002 National Awards for Education Reporting for a story she did on adult literacy.She is married to fellow Penn Stater Peter McKay, a nationally syndicated humor writer who pens the PG's "Homemaking" column in the Saturday home section.More »FoodChef Sean Ehland, locally raised, makes good at best restaurants on Earth
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Feed Dad's appetite with a good meal
Thursday, June 16, 2011
By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Plamen PetkovRed beans and rice grits.Father's Day is all about the men in our lives, but I'll bet when you're planning the day's special meal, dear old Dad -- unless he's the one who does most of the daily menu planning and cooking -- doesn't get quite as much input as he might like or deserve.

In our house at least, Father's Day dinner usually boils down to the predictable choice between a nice, juicy steak on the grill or, if I'm feeling especially generous of spirit, an expensive piece of wild Alaskan salmon with some sort of fancy-shmancy gourmet topping. (Although he loves it, everyone else in the house, me included, would rather eat anything other than fish. So Popsicle, as my girls call their dad, almost never gets it.)

Not that he'd ever complain: terrific husband and father of five that he is, Peter eats anything and everything I put on the table with gusto. Even when a recipe flubs, or he gamely has to eat three different versions of beer can chicken three nights in a row, as we did last week, he's always quick to compliment the chef before offering to do the dishes.

This year, though, two new "guy" cookbooks landed on my desk that got me thinking: What would Peter REALLY want me to cook if -- to frame it in food terms -- our kitchen were his oyster?

And would we want to eat it, too?

Because you know, it's not really a celebration if everyone at the table isn't happy with the food.

So it was with bated breath that I gave my husband this assignment: Spend some time paging through the cookbooks to see what truly whets your appetite, without a worry as to how long it might take to prepare or how crazy it might make the cook. Then, give me a list.

He started with Esquire's "Eat Like a Man: The Only Cookbook a Man Will Ever Need" (Chronicle, June 2011, $30), a witty and beautifully photographed collection of 100-plus recipes from some of the country's best chefs (and Esquire contributors). Two days later, he was still reading, complaining he couldn't make up his mind because it all looked so good.

I had to agree this is one tasty cookbook, offering up ideas for everything from breakfast to lunch to which of the five "essential" cocktails to enjoy with dinner and/or dessert. Just as delish for my husband, a humor writer who often uses the family as fodder for his weekly column, are the personal essays and detailed head notes sprinkled throughout that touch on how food figures into a man's life.

From a cooking standpoint, I like that the recipes, all of which were tested by Esquire's male editors in their everyday New York kitchens, didn't require any special equipment, technical know-how or time commitment. As editor-in-chief David Granger notes in the introduction, "These are meals and dishes that are well within the bounds of (a) what men want to eat, and (b) what the moderately ambitious male cook is capable of producing in a reasonable amount of time."

In other words, he adds, "There'll be no straining of anything through cheesecloth."

Had I been the one doing the choosing, I probably would have picked Las Vegas chef Dave Walzog's Barbecue-Spice-Rubbed Skirt Steak with Charred Onions and Jalapenos or equally terrific-sounding Pepper-Crusted Strip Steaks, which Charlie Palmer serves at New York's famed restaurant Aureole. (Father's Day = steak, remember?) My husband went in another direction entirely.

If the kids and I wanted to fete him with breakfast, he'd love the Breakfast-Style Beans and Rice Grits with Eggs and Andouille. If we'd rather do lunch, the Chicken-Parm Hero with Sausage -- doused with homemade tomato sauce -- had his stomach grumbling. And if we went the usual route with a Dad's Day dinner? Boy, did the Coca-Cola-Brined Fried Chicken ever look good!

The choices were so ... un-Father's Day-ish, that had the tips of the pages not been turned down, I wouldn't have believed him.

It was a little tougher finding a recipe that pleased in "Man with a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers Who Cook for Their Families" (Algonquin, 2011, $15.95), but only because the memoir-style book contains no photos: recipes are tucked at the end of the food-related essays from 21 "kitchen dads" -- some famous, such as Mark Bittman and Mario Batali, and others less known -- who do most of the cooking for their families.

"It's just so hard to picture them," Peter complained. "How do you do it?"

Had we not just overdosed the previous week on beer-can chicken, that's the recipe, which film/television writer Matt Greenberg charmingly presents in the form of a screenplay, Peter would have picked. But he's also a huge fan of the Caribbean-style crispy fish tacos at Kaya in the Strip District. So writer Sean Wilsey's recipe for the same was an easy runner-up.

Whether we'll celebrate Father's Day this Sunday with a meal built around fish, eggs or chicken remains to be seen. Whatever the choice, I know the guest of honor will be completely happy. And not just because on this day, at least, he doesn't have to do the dishes.


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Breakfast-Style Red Beans and Rice Grits

PG tested

This breakfast dish is absolutely delicious, but it's definitely not for the last-minute chef or a dad who expects to eat as soon as he gets out of bed. Unless, of course, you make the beans the day before -- then it's just a case of frying eggs and sausage while you make the grits.

Speaking of which, homemade grits are easier than they sound (all you need is a clean coffee grinder) and so very tasty as a dinner side dish when reheated with butter and salt.

•1 pound dried red kidney beans, picked over
•4 cups chicken stock
•1 onion, chopped
•3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
•1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
•6 cloves garlic, chopped
•1/2 pound good-quality smoked ham, diced
•1 pound smoked ham hocks
•1 bay leaf
•2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
•2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
•1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
•1 dozen turns freshly ground black pepper
•2 teaspoons coarse salt
•Rice Grits (see recipe at left)
•12 poached or loose sunny-side-up eggs
•Grilled andouille sausage for serving
•Chopped scallion greens for garnish
Put beans and 8 cups water into a small stock pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let soak for 30 minutes.

Drain water from beans and add 8 cups fresh water and stock, along with onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, ham, ham hocks, bay leaf, Creole seasoning, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer; cook for 90 minutes. Add salt and crush some of the beans with a potato masher. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove ham hocks, strip off and return any meat to the pot, and keep the beans warm.

At this point, you can remove half the beans, cool and freeze for future use.

Ladle about 1 cup beans into each serving bowl and top with about 1/2 cup rice grits. Top grits with poached or fried eggs and serve with a piece of grilled andouille and some freshly chopped scallions.

Serves 6.

-- Esquire's "Eat Like a Man: The Only Cookbook a Man Will Ever Need" edited by Ryan D'Agostino (Chronicle, June 2011, $30)


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Rice Grits

PG tested

•1 cup long-grain white rice
•1 teaspoon coarse salt
•3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
In a clean coffee grinder or small food processor, grind rice into meal.

Bring 4 cups water to a boil with salt and 1 tablespoon of butter. Slowly whisk the rice meal into boiling water and continue to whisk until mixture begins to thicken and spit at you. Lower heat and continue to stir for about 3 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

Serves 6.

-- Esquire's "Eat Like a Man: The Only Cookbook a Man Will Ever Need" edited by Ryan D'Agostino (Chronicle, June 2011, $30)


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Fish Tacos

PG tested

•1 1/2 pounds flounder or other mild white fish
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•Corn tortillas
•1 head purple cabbage, chopped (this is the key
•ingredient)
•1/2 cup black beans (canned are fine)
•1 tablespoon or more fresh
•cilantro, chopped
•1/2 cup or more salsa (store bought or a mix of onions, tomatoes and peppers)
Chipotle mayo (that is mayo mixed with the liquid in a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce -- insanely good)

Season fish with salt and pepper and saute in a frying pan with the olive oil until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove fish from heat, set it aside and let it cool slightly. Break it with your fingers into small pieces.

If you buy premade tortillas, heat them in a cast-iron frying pan (no oil required). If you want to make your own, mix masa and water, roll out some golf-ball sized balls and squash them between sheets of plastic wrap in a tortilla press -- this is fun for kids, and it tastes much better. Add salt to the masa before you roll it. Heat these tortillas a good bit longer than store-bought.

Remove tortillas from heat and assemble tacos using the fish pieces and remaining ingredients.

Serves 4.

-- "Man with a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers Who Cook for Their Families" edited by John Donohue (Algonquin, 2011, $15.95)


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Chicken-Parm Hero with Sausage

PG tested

I made this in an un-air-conditioned kitchen during a heat wave, so we melted the cheese on the sandwich in a toaster oven. If you have time, you may want to simmer the sauce a bit longer; my son thought it tasted too "fresh."

•1 boneless, skinless organic chicken-breast cutlet (about 8 ounces)
•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•1 large egg, lightly beaten
•1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
•Canola or peanut oil for frying
•Soft semolina hero roll with sesame seeds, ends trimmed, split
•Homemade tomato sauce (recipe follows)
•2 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese
•1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (buffalo is best)
Dredge chicken breast in flour (knocking off excess), dip in the egg (dripping off excess) and press in the bread crumbs (the chicken must be thoroughly coated at each step).

In a saute pan over medium to high heat, heat 1/4-inch oil. When a pinch of breading sizzles on contact, fry the breaded cutlet (lowering the heat if necessary) until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. (Check for doneness by making a tiny cut in the thickest part of the breast.)

Preheat broiler. Place open roll on an aluminum-foil-covered sheet pan and lightly toast under broiler. Remove, and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat both bread halves with sauce and arrange a cutlet on bottom half, cutting to fit if necessary. Top with sauce, pecorino and mozzarella. Transfer to oven until cheese is melted, 2 or 3 minutes. Set top in place and serve.

Serves 1.

-- "Esquire's Eat Like a Man: The Only Cookbook a Man Will Ever Need" edited by Ryan D'Agostino (Chronicle, June 2011, $30)



Tomato Sauce

PG tested

•1/4 cup crumbled loose spicy Italian sausage
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 cup minced white onion
•2 teaspoons fennel seeds
•2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
•14.5-ounce can crushed organic tomatoes
•Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan over low to medium heat, cook sausage. Drain off fat, add garlic, onion, fennel and basil and cook until softened. Add tomatoes and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes about 2 cups.

-- "Esquire's Eat Like a Man: The Only Cookbook a Man Will Ever Need" edited by Ryan D'Agostino (Chronicle, June 2011, $30)


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Coca-Cola Brined Fried Chicken

PG tested

This might be the best fried chicken our family has ever eaten -- so good, I didn't even think about the calories. Cayenne pepper and garlic powder give the battered crust a hint of spice while the cola brine adds sweetness.

For chicken
•12 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
•4 cups Coca-Cola
•1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
•2 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
•1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
•3 tablespoons coarse salt
•3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
For batter
•1 large egg
•3/4 cup peanut oil
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•2 teaspoons coarse salt
•4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
•1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
•1 tablespoon onion powder
•1 tablespoon garlic powder
•2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•Peanut oil and lard for frying
•Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Pickle garlic relish (recipe follows)
To brine chicken: Rinse chicken, drain and set aside. Combine remaining brining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until salt dissolves. Put chicken in the brine, cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 4 hours.

To make batter: Whisk the egg well in a stainless steel bowl and add peanut oil and 21/2 cups water. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining batter ingredients, then add the dry mixture to the egg mixture, whisking slowly so the batter doesn't clump.

To fry chicken: Fill a large cast-iron skillet halfway with equal amounts of peanut oil and lard. Slowly bring temperature to 375 degrees (use a deep-fat thermometer).

While oil is heating, remove chicken from brine and place in a colander in the sink. Once chicken has drained, pat dry with paper towels (a critical step) and season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in batter and place it (carefully) in hot oil. Adjust heat, as the chicken will bring the oil temperature down dramatically -- you want it back up to just above 350 degrees. Turn chicken regularly using tongs to prevent burning. After 8 or 9 minutes, remove a piece, prick it to the bone with a fork and mash it. If juices run clear, it's done. Continue cooking if necessary. Drain on brown paper bags or paper towels.

Serve chicken with pickle-garlic relish. Cover any leftovers with a dish towel and leave out at room temperature (or in the fridge, if you must, although my grandmother never did). This keeps it crisp.

Pickle-Garlic Relish
•1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
•1 cup dill-pickle chips, plus a little pickle juice if desired
•2 tablespoons minced garlic
Finely chop and combine all ingredients.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.