BUTTERMILK, ORANGE, AND ROSEMARY FRIED CHICKEN
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
1½ tsp (7 ml) cayenne pepper, divided
2 tsp (10 ml) smoked paprika
4 garlic cloves, crushed
½ yellow onion, sliced
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed from stem and minced
1 orange, zest only
3 tbsp (45 ml) kosher salt, divided
1 tbsp + 2 tsp (25 ml) black pepper, divided
6 chicken drumsticks, skin on
6 chicken thighs, skin on
canola oil, for frying
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 ml) cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, 1 tsp (5 ml) cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, rosemary, orange zest, 2 tbsp (30 ml) salt, 1 tbsp (15 ml) black pepper and chicken. Transfer to a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate to marinate overnight, or up to 2 days.
- Remove chicken from marinade and drain well. Discard bag contents. Let chicken rest at room temperature for 1 hour before frying.
- Heat a deep fryer, or a large pot filled halfway with oil, to 350 F (180 C).
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, remaining salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Dredge a piece of chicken in the flour mixture until completely coated. Dust off excess and gently place in the hot oil. Repeat with a couple more pieces of chicken. Do not add too many pieces of coated chicken at a time, or the oil temperature will reduce and cause chicken to absorb too much oil during cooking.
- Fry chicken in batches, 15 to 20 minutes each, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon. Remove chicken and pierce to the bone. Chicken is done when juices run clear when pierced and internal temperature reads 165 F (75 C).
- Remove chicken to a cooling rack to drain. Chicken can be eaten immediately, or cooled and refrigerated in a covered container and eaten cold at a picnic.
Drink Pairings
BEET AND CHEDDAR LASAGNA
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 lb (500 g) red beets
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper, to taste, plus extra
1¼ lbs (625 g) red Swiss chard, stalks trimmed
⅔ cup (150 ml) unsalted butter, divided
1 ⅓ cups (325 ml) all-purpose flour
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) grated sharp cheddar
2 tbsp (30 ml) dry mustard
1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
12 oven-ready, whole wheat lasagna noodles
¼ cup (60 ml) quick rolled oats
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped hazelnuts. toasted
2 tbsp (30 ml) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 pinch nutmeg
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
- Add beets, thyme, garlic, good pinch of pepper and a few generous pinches of salt to large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until beets are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes depending on size. With a slotted spoon, remove beets to a bowl to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel and slice crosswise into ¼-in (0.5 cm) thick slices. Set aside.
- In batches, add chard leaves to saucepan of water and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove and transfer immediately to bowl of ice water. Drain well, roughly chop and set aside.
- To make a béchamel sauce, in small saucepan over low heat, melt ⅓ cup (75 ml) butter. Whisk in ⅔ cup (150 ml) flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes allowing to cook but not brown. Slowly whisk in milk until mixture forms a thick, smooth sauce. Stir in cheddar to melt. Stir in mustard powder, Worcestershire and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper before setting aside.
- To make crumble topping, in a small bowl stir together remaining ⅔ cup (150 ml) flour, oats and hazelnuts. With fingertips work in remaining ⅓ cup (75 ml) butter and Pecorino Romano cheese before seasoning with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) while assembling lasagna. Spread a layer of béchamel sauce over bottom of a 2 qt (2 L) casserole dish. Top with a layer of sliced beets then layer of cooked chard. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle of fresh thyme before covering with 3 lasagna noodles, cutting noodles to fit. Continue layering until dish is full, about 3 or more times, ending with layer of béchamel. Cover surface with crumble topping. Bake until bubbling and golden, about 30 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.
Drink Pairings
BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES WITH KIRSCH CHERRIES
Ingredients
Serves 24 cupcakes
CUPCAKES:
2 cups (500 ml) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (180 ml) cake and pastry flour
¾ cup (180 ml) unsweetened cocoa
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking powder
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt
1 cup (250 ml) milk
½ cup (125 ml) melted butter, plus extra for greasing pans
2 whole eggs, whisked
2 tsp (10 ml) kirsch
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
MARINATED CHERRIES:
1 cup (250 ml) fresh cherries, pitted
¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) kirsch
CHANTILLY CREAM:
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar
¼ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners or generously grease muffin tins with butter.
- To make CUPCAKES: In a large bowl, combine sugar, flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift together to blend.
- In a separate bowl, combine milk, melted butter, eggs and kirsch. Whisk until combined.
- Whisk milk mixture into dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in boiling water until blended.
- Ladle equal amounts into prepared muffin tins, each about ¾ full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Once done, remove from oven and thoroughly cool in tins on a rack before removing.
- While cupcakes are baking, place cherries in a bowl with sugar and kirsch. (You should have at least 24 cherries.) Stir to evenly blend. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate overnight.
- Drain juice from cherries into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, reserving cherries. Gently boil juice over medium heat, reducing it to a syrupy consistency, about five to ten minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- To make CHANTILLY CREAM: In an electric stand mixer fitted with a wire whisk, beat whipping cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla seeds until medium peaks form.
- Drizzle cooled cherry syrup over whipped cream and gently stir together, creating swirls of cherry syrup in cream.
- Pipe or dollop cherry cream onto each cupcake and garnish with a reserved, marinated cherry.