1053. FRIED CHICKEN with BACON and PEPPER CREAM GRAVY

makes 4 servings


For chicken
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
3 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons hot sauce such as Tabasco
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
8 bacon slices (1/2 pound)
About 3 cups vegetable oil

For gravy
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk

Equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

Marinate chicken: Toss chicken with buttermilk, onion, Tabasco, and 2 teaspoons salt. Marinate chicken, covered and chilled, at least 12 hours.

Coat and fry chicken: Put flour, paprika, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a paper or plastic bag and shake to combine well.

Drain chicken well in a colander, discarding marinade and onions, then shake chicken in bag, 1 piece at a time, to coat well. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Let chicken air-dry 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in middle. Set a cooling rack in a large shallow baking pan.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp. Transfer to rack in baking pan and keep warm in oven.

Scrape up brown bits from bottom of skillet with a spatula and strain bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving bits in sieve. Wipe skillet clean and add strained bacon fat. Add enough oil to measure 1/2 inch fat in skillet and heat to 350°F over medium-high heat.

Fry chicken 4 pieces at a time (keep each batch all white meat or all dark meat), skin sides down first, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden-brown and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes for breasts and wings; 10 to 12 minutes for drumsticks and thighs. Transfer chicken to rack with bacon and keep warm in oven. Return fat to 350°F between batches and reserve after frying.

Make gravy: Strain frying fat through sieve into a bowl, then return 1 tablespoon fat and all brown bits in sieve to skillet. (Discard remaining frying fat once cool.) Whisk in flour and cook roux over medium heat, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil, whisking, then simmer, whisking, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve chicken with gravy and bacon.


courtesy of: Lillian Chou, Gourmet, January 2008