Fried Chicken: A Recipe-Free Guide to Improvising In The Kitchen

Good fried chicken is often considered the test of a good home-style cook. Once you read this, you'll be able to make delicious fried chicken with whatever you currently have in your kitchen cupboards. And you'll be able to do it without measuring and following recipes! This is more than a recipe for deep-fried chicken; it's a theory manual.

There are five simple steps for making fried chicken (and one is optional).

The Chicken

The first thing you need, of course, is the chicken. Make sure your chicken is as fresh as possible. Check the expiration date and make sure to wash it well when you take it out of the packaging. If you defrost frozen chicken be sure to fry it within 24 hours of defrosting. Refrigerate chicken until one hour before you are ready to fry it. Remember: always fry chicken at room temperature. This will help you avoid raw spots in the middle of the chicken and overcooking on the outside.

The Marinade (Optional)

You do not have to marinate, but they often add tremendously to the taste of the chicken. You can marinate chicken in almost any edible liquid and you don't have to measure amounts. Make sure to match the flavor of your marinade with the flavor of your seasonings (see below, under SEASONINGS). If you want classic Southern Fried Chicken taste, marinate in milk. If you want an Asian flavor, marinate in teriyaki or soy sauce. If you want an exotic Indian flavor to your chicken, marinate in a mixture of milk and curry powder. If you're looking for Mexican flavor marinate in your favorite salsa, with or without hot chilis. Be creative; you can add wine, honey, vinegar, or just about anything else you like to the mix.

The Oil

You need to deep-fry the chicken in some kind of oil. My favorites are shortening, canola oil or ghee (either vegetarian or butter). Heating the oil properly before cooking is essential. When the oil isn't hot enough the coating will fall off your fried chicken and it will come out very greasy. When the oil is too hot, the chicken will burn. Different kinds of oils can be heated to different temperatures so there is no hard and fast rule for the frying temperature. My suggestion is to get the oil very hot, but not smoking and test it by dropping in a small ball of the BATTER you will use. When you add your fried chicken, make sure to lower it slowly and gently into the oil so it doesn't spatter. If pieces of batter break off during the frying process remove them from the oil as soon as you can; otherwise they will burn and flavor the oil and chicken with a burnt taste. Put the chicken in one piece at a time and make sure no piece is touching another. Fried chicken is often ruined by crowding in the cooking process. Your chicken can't cook evenly if it's all crowded together.

The Batter

Battering fried chicken is a two-part process. First, the skin must be moistened, and then the dry ingredients must be layered over the wet. This is easier than it sounds.

Wet Batter

The usual strategy for moistening chicken and creating a "glue" so that the dry ingredients will stick is to use egg. Simply break some eggs into a bowl and pour in some water, vinegar or milk (depending on your seasonings) to thin the egg out. Use liquid at about a 1:5 ratio with the eggs. Most cooks can just do this by feel, but if you're nervous, after every five eggs add a 1/4 cup of liquid. When you've made up as much egg batter as you think you'll need, pour it into a deep bowl. You'll need to dip the chicken in this before you roll it in the dry ingredients.

Dry Batter

The dry ingredients are the heart of the batter. Again, you have a lot of room for experimentation here. You can use breadcrumbs, matzoh meal, cornmeal, flour (of any kind), or any other sort of meal you like. Into whatever meal you choose, you should mix the spices that you think will go with your marinade in the proportions you think you will like. This can be as simple as salt and pepper (for Southern milk-marinated fried chicken), or as complex as curry powder (for fried chicken with an Indian flavor). For Mexican taste I toss in cumin and a little cayenne. It is best not to use leafy spices like oregano, basic, or marjoram because they burn in the oil. Stick to durable spices ground from seed or dried roots. Add about a quarter teaspoon of baking soda for every 2 cups of dry batter. Mix up the batter so that it is spicier and stronger tasting than you actually like, because the taste will be less strong once you've spread it out on the chicken. Place a heaping pile of the dry batter in a pie pan or other shallow tin.

Now... roll the chicken pieces first in the wet batter and then in the dry batter. If you run low on either batter you can always make more. I always make a lot of the dry batter because I can store it in the freezer to use next time.

Cooking

When your chicken is battered, you are ready to put it in the already hot oil. Cook until the chicken is golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Adjust the heat of the oil if the batter browns too fast or too slowly. Your first couple of pieces of chicken will not be as pretty as all the rest, so don't panic.

You'll know that the chicken is done if the juice runs clear when you remove it from the pan and pierce it with a fork. Set the finished chicken on paper towels and let them drain. Then... eat and enjoy!

[Note: There is a dish people call "Oven-Fried Chicken." Strictly speaking it is baked rather than fried and so it is not covered in this article.]

About the Author:
In addition to being a scholar, Shawn Scott, Ph.D., is a culinary enthusiast and has worked as a professional caterer and chef. Now retired from teaching, Scott has decided to share the collected wit and wisdom of almost forty years of cooking and food lore. You can read more about Scott's ideas on innovation and improvisation in the kitchen at "Recipe-Free Cooking": recipefreecooking.blogspot.com
Article Submitted On: October 04, 2006
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Weight Loss Recipe: Avocado, Walnut & Crispy Bacon Salad

Losing weight doesn't have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you'll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the time or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why is colour important? Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That's because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories....but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you'll get more enjoyment from eating when there's a variety of colours and flavors on your plate.

Although these ideas may sound whimsical, they're grounded in scientific fact. Dr David Heber, renowned nutritional expert from University of California, Los Angeles established the role of colour in his book, "What Color is Your Diet?" So, next time you visit the refrigerator, think colorfully. And remember to mix, not match!

To get you started on the color plate, here is a deliciously interesting salad: Avocado, Walnut & Crispy Bacon.

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

7oz/200 g rindless bacon, chopped
½ cup walnut haves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
sale and ground black pepper
6oz/150g baby spinach, trimmed and washed
3 ripe Roma (egg) tomatoes, diced
1 large ripe avocado, halved, peeled, seed removed and sliced
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat a non-tick frying pay over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside to cool.

2. Add walnuts to pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

3. Add oil and lime juice to pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

4. Combine spinach, tomatoes, avocado, onion, bacon and walnuts in a large serving bowl. Pour warm lime dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

About the Author:
Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries. Tons of recipes, articles, resources, free newsletter and more to help you lose weight and keep it off forever. Estimate your healthy body weight or receive a free weight loss consultation at http://www.weight-loss-health.com.au
Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Bake Up Some Cookies For Family Fun

There's lots of reasons parents are baking with their kids these days. The delicious result is of course on the list. But more importantly, baking with children is a great way to spend time with them and to teach them things at the same time you're all having fun.

Baking cookies with any or all of your children is a naturally fun activity. Cookies are portable, sweet and fun to make. They can be made in stages if time is tight-prepare the dough in the evening and bake them the next morning. Older children can read the recipe and direct adults on what steps to take. Small children can roll the dough into balls and flatten it with a fork, similar to making peanut butter cookies. There's enough fun to go around for everyone.

What makes your cookies even better is to add corn starch to the dough. In fact, many recipes for baked goods from the early 20th century used corn starch in conjunction with flour. Bakers found very early on that corn starch gave biscuits, muffins, cakes, shortcakes, pie crusts and most notably cookies a finer texture and more tender crumb when compared to recipes using flour alone. Recipe books produced then by the experts at Argo and Kingsford's Corn Starch bear this out. In fact, Argo, established in 1892, has offered their customers cookie recipes since its very early years.

Here's a recipe for Lemon Shortbread Cookies that's simple and delicious and should make for a batch of family fun.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

11/3 cups Argo or Kingsford's Corn Starch

2 cups butter or margarine

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

Makes six dozen

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat butter until softened. Add powdered sugar, beat until well combined. Add lemon peel and vanilla; beat well. In a medium bowl, stir together flour and corn starch; add to mixture and beat well.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls (kids will love this). Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Press tines of a fork atop each ball to make subtle design. Bake about 15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

About the Author:
Wayne Ryan
Other recipes for Argo Corn Starch are at www.argostarch.com.
Love Me Tender-Baking up family fun in the kitchen is a great way to spend time with your children.
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

3 Non-Traditional Ways to Prepare Your Holiday Turkey

Deep-Fryed Turkey

3 gallons peanut oil for frying, or as needed
1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/4 cup Creole seasoning
1 white onion

In a large stockpot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees F. Be sure to leave room for the turkey, or the oil will spill
over.

***** Side Note *****

How to determine the amount of oil you need:

The easiest way I've found to determine the amount of oil you need is to place the turkey into the fryer and fill with water until the turkey is just covered. Remove turkey and allow to drain, pat dry with paper towels as well. Make note of the level of water in the fryer. Discard water and dry throughly. Fill frying vessel with oil to the level as noted above. This should help in preventing hot oil spill overs.

***** End Side Note *****

Layer a large platter with food-safe paper bags. Rinse turkey, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub Creole seasoning over turkey inside and out. Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so the oil can flow freely through the bird. Place the whole onion and turkey in drain basket. The turkey should be placed in basket neck end first. Slowly lower basket into hot oil to completely cover turkey. Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F, and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F.

Finish draining turkey on the prepared platter.

Grilled Whole Turkey

12 pounds whole turkey
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Place turkey breast side down on the prepared grill. Sear turkey on both sides until skin is golden to dark brown. In a large roasting pan, mix together the water, bouillon powder, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, parsley, and paprika. Place turkey breast side down in the roasting pan. Scoop the pan mixture over the turkey. Cover tightly with foil and place on grill. Grill 3 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180F. Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Smoked Turkey

1 turkey 8 to 22 lbs., fresh or completely thawed
Sweet Pickle Brine (recipe to follow)
Maple syrup

Sweet Pickle Brine:

1 gal. water
2 1/2 cups salt, rock, pickling or canning salts are recommened
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Lquid garlic
1 oz. pickling spices

Mix well. You may need to adjust the amounts depending on the size of your bird. This recipe should suit you fine for an 8 to 12 lb. turkey.

Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water, drain and pat dry. Prepare sweet pickle brine. Brine turkey according to the following schedule,
8 to 12 lb. bird 3 days, 13 to 16 lb. bird 4 days, 17 to 22 lb. bird 5 days. Remove from brine; rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Allow to dry in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Lock wings behind back and tie legs and tail together. Baste turkey with maple syrup before putting in smoker and every 2 hours while smoking. Position turkey on cooking grill. Smoke cook until done.

The best way to determine doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey (the breast) the internal temperature should read 180 degrees F.

Smoking food is more an art than a science; this recipe is not intended for the novice. Allot of factors go into determining the cooking time for a particular food when smoking.

Cool turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving to enhance the smoked flavor. You may serve the turkey right away if you wish.

About the author:
Frank Flohr (aka Chef Phronc) is passionate about cooking. Frank serves up a full plater of cooking tips, recipes and culimary information on his blog at http://www.recipecorral.com/blog Unleash the hidden "Chef" inside you!
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Recipe Guide for Easy Food Preparation

You open the cookbook and see a recipe title or a photo that tempts your tastebuds. Then you start to read the recipe, realize the preparation is more difficult than you first thought, and put the book back on the shelf.

Sound Familiar? Well here's a simple guide to help get you started:

1. Abbreviations for Measuring

Tsp. = teaspoon Tbsp. = tablespoon, which equals 3 teaspoons C = cup.

Tip: Get a set of measuring spoons. The set will usually have 1/4 tsp., 1/3 tsp., 1/2 tsp., 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon.

Dry measure cups look like little saucepans and can be leveled off with a knife or other straight-edged tool. They come in sets like the measuring spoons. Liquid measuring cups have ounce marking lines so you can measure however many ounces you need.

Tip: Some recipes require exact measurements to turn out right so learn to measure correctly.

2. Common Ingredients

Make sure you know what you need.

Tips:

- Baking powder and baking soda are not the same.

- Ask the produce manager at the market about fruits and vegetables, the meat manager about cuts of meat.

- When trying something new, buy ONE. You can always go back for more if it turns out well.

3. Common Terminology

- Bake: Dry heat in the oven. Set oven control to the desired temperature while you're preparing the dish to be baked. Once the light that says it's heating turns off, the oven is at the proper temperature. Then put in the food--for best results, center it in the oven.

- Boil: Heat a liquid until it bubbles. The faster the bubbles rise and the more bubbles you get, the hotter the liquid. Some recipes call for a gentle boil--barely bubbling--or a rolling boil--just short of boiling over. Watch so it doesn't boil over.

- Braise: A moist cooking method using a little liquid that barely bubbles on the top of the stove or in the oven. This is a good way to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat. The pan should be heavy and shallow with a tight-fitting lid to keep the liquid from boiling away. There's a lot that can be done for flavoring in your choice of liquid and of vegetables to cook with the meat.

- Broil: Turn the oven to its highest setting. Put the food on broiler pan--a 2 piece pan that allows the grease to drain away from the food. In an electric oven on the broil setting only the upper element heats, and you can regulate how fast the food cooks by how close to the element you place it. Watch your cooking time--it's easy to overcook food in the broiler. - Brown: Cook until the food gets light brown. Usually used for frying or baking. Ground beef should usually be browned (use a frying pan) and have the grease drained before adding it to a casserole or meat sauce.

- Fold: A gentle mixing method that moves the spoon down to the bottom of the bowl and then sweeps up, folding what was on the bottom up over the top. This is used to mix delicate ingredients such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites. These ingredients just had air whipped into them, so you don't want to reverse that process by mixing too vigorously.

- Simmer: Heat to just the start of a boil and keep it at that point for as long as the recipe requires. The recipe will usually call for either constant stirring or stirring at certain intervals.

Now you are ready to do the shopping and prepare that recipe that you've always wanted to try!

About the Author:
SavePress Magazines
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Submitted: 2006-10-09
Article Source: GoArticles