Review: The Gift of Southern Cooking

The Gift of Southern Cooking
  Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock
  2003 hardback ISBN:0375400354 first edition
  color photos
  
  This is another one I got recently as as result of my wish list on
Paper Back Swap. I immediately read it from cover to cover. This is one
that was so interesting to me it was hard to put down. It's almost as if
you can hear Miss Lewis and Scott Peacock talking to each other and
you, while sharing their love of cooking and eating southern food. Many
of the recipes combine the best from each of the authors recipes to make
an even better one. They also share parts of their lives and families
with you through recipes and wonderful photos. If you enjoy southern
cooking then I think you'd enjoy having this book in your collection.
  
  I love the way each recipe has some background information included
with it. These are the places where you feel that you're being let in on
the authors secrets of great southern cooking. This book isn't meant
for those on a diet though since they often use butter and lard. As many
of you know I've been trying to eat healthier since the first of the
year and most of my book reviews have been of books that fit or have
some recipes that fit into the healthy category. Dexter and Andrew love
fried chicken as do Sarita and I so I couldn't resist trying the unique
fried chicken recipe from this book. I only had one piece but it was
good and everyone but Harold enjoyed the chicken very much, he's not much
of a chicken person. The recipe did state if carefully cooked, fried
chicken will absorb a minimal amount of fat and this is true also if
drained properly. This recipe does take a little prep work and a few days
of your time but I think it was worth it for the splurge.
  
  Southern Pan Fried Chicken
  
  one 3 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, brined for 8 - 12 hours (box,
page 95 and below)
  1 quart buttermilk
  1 pound lard
  1/2 cup, (1 stick) unsalted butter
  1/2 cup country-ham pieces, or 1 thick slice country ham cut into 1/2
inch strips
  1 cup all-purpose flour
  2 tablespoons cornstarch
  1 teaspoon salt
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  To prepare the chicken for frying: Drain the brined chicken and rinse
out the bowl it was brined in. Return the chicken to the bowl and pour
the buttermilk over. Cover and refrigerate for 8 - 12 hours. Drain the
chicken on a wire rack discarding the buttermilk.
  
  Meanwhile prepare the fat for frying by putting the lard, butter, and
country ham into a heavy skillet or frying pan. Cook over low heat for
30 to 45 minutes, skimming as needed, until the butter ceases to throw
off foam and the country ham is browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove
the ham carefully from the fat. (The ham can be saved and used to make
Smoked Pork Stock, page 39. Harold eat it in a biscuit since he
doesn't like chicken much.) Just before frying increase the temperature to
medium high and heat the fat to 335 degrees F.
  
  Prepare the dredge by blending together the flour, cornstarch, salt,
and pepper in a shallow bowl or on wax paper.
  
  Dredge the drained chicken pieces thoroughly in the flour mixture,
then pat well to remove all excess flour.
  
  Slip some of the chicken pieces, skin side down, into the heated fat.
(Do not over crowd the pan, and fry in batches if necessary.) Cook for
8 - 10 minutes per side, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked
through. Drain thoroughly on a wire rack or on crumpled paper towels
and serve.
  
  Fried chicken is delicious eaten hot, warm, at room temperature or
cold.
  
  Brine: To make the brine stir kosher salt into cold water until
dissolved, in the proportion of 1/4 cup salt to 1 quart water. (Don't use
table salt in this formula , by the way; it will be too salty.) Mix
enough brine to cover the poultry completely in a  nonreactive bowl or pot.
Store refrigerated for the times specified.