Author (s):  Bobby Flay with Julia Moskin

Category:  Main Meal

ISBN: 0-7868-6714-0

Publisher: Hyperion

Date published: 2001

Edition: n/a

Description: Hardcover

Illustrated: no

Photographs: yes, many color photos            

Price: $34.95 list, $24.47 on Amazon and $7.99 used

 

This book has more than 100 recipes from all over the US.  They include a

wide variety from the following chapters.  (Note the two holiday chapters.)

Chapter 1:  Soups and Chowders

Chapter 2:  Brunch Dishes, Sandwiches, Tacos

Chapter 3:  Salads and Appetizers

Chapter 4:  Corn, Pasta, and Rice

Chapter 5:  Fish and Shellfish

Chapter 6:  Poultry

Chapter 7:  Meat

Chapter 8:  Desserts

Chapter 9:  Thanksgiving

Chapter10:  The Fourth of July

Flay travels America on his current show on the food network.  This book is a collection of flavors from all across the nation.

In this book he puts his own spin on favorite dishes from regions all over America.  This is a great book.  All of the ingredients are explained and new techniques are described very well. 

Red Chile and blue corn - two of my top ingredients from the Southwestern kitchen - make an excellent addition to the Southern fried chicken.  Blue cornmeal has the same crispness as yellow, but it's even nuttier and sweeter in flavor.

Dipping fried chick in honey is Southern tradition.  I stir the honey with ancho chile powder to infuse heat and red color into the honey.  Serve this wit Buttermilk Bacon Smashed Potatoes for a Southern style feast.

For the chicken:

Peanut oil for frying

1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds) cut into 8 pieces

3 cups buttermilk

2 cups all purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 eggs

2 tablespoons cold water

3 cups blue cornmeal

For the sauce:

1 cup honey

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder

1.  Start the chicken:  At least 4 hours before you plan to cook it, put the chicken in a large baking dish.  Pour in the buttermilk and turn to coat.  Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.

2.  Make the sauce:  Stir the honey and chile powder together and set aside.

3.  Cook the chicken:  Heat 1 inch of the oil in a  cast-iron skillet to 350°F.  Meanwhile, spread the flour out on a plate and season with salt and pepper.  Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl with the cold water.  Spread the cornmeal out on a plate and season with salt and pepper.

4.  Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.  Working in batched to avoid crowding the frying pan, dip each piece of chicken in the flour and shake off any excess.  Dip in the egg, then in the cornmeal.  Add the chicken pieces to the hot pan, skin-side down.  Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook for 7 minutes.  Remove the cover, turn the chicken over, and cook 6-7 minutes more until done through and crisp on the outside.  Drain on paper towels and repeat process with remaining chicken pieces.  (Remember to bring oil up to temperature each time you start a new batch.)  Transfer to a platter, drizzle with ancho honey, and serve.

This recipe was great.  I have made fried chicken often, but even though I have seen buttermilk soaking in the recipe, I hadn't tried it.  It really does make the chicken so tender.  Also, I added the ancho chili powder to the flour that was used for dredging in addition to the honey.  We like spicy food.  It was very good.  I would highly recommend this book and this recipe.