Fried chicken, with an Alsatian twist

This is my recipe to take part for my first time to the MTChallenge, which I follow monthly since years ago.

This month's challenge is Silvia's fried chicken.

First of all, I want to say a big Thank You to Elisa Baker, for all her support. She knows what I mean.

So here I am.

Still can't believe it.

I opened a blog. A cooking blog. Me.

Yes, Me.

When I entered in the Blogger platform, my first thought went to my mom. She's the one who simply doesn't tollerate when somebody takes pictures of food. Take notes, -she use to say- taste it, touch it, feel it, remember it, but don't take pictures. 

Don't ask, I don't know why.

This only means that she will never have the link of this blog.

Don't tell her.😉

Then, I thought about my husband and my niece. They do have a cooking blog, an amazing one. It's supposed that I had to publish my recipes in their blog. They are going to get mad. 

They will know about it at my first publication.😊

Which is today....

Surprise!

Why The Nomade Kitchen?

Because I used to live in France, in Strasbourg. I had a very quiet life until I decided to get engaged (once again) with my very first love who's such a great man, brilliant, clever, handsome, gifted in many ways...but a bit crazy and nomade, indeed. Now that we got married, I don't even know where do I live. Still in France? In Israel? In India, where I'm writing from?

A question that is impossible to answer. I don't even try. And, honestly speaking, I don't care.

I only enjoy the view from the planes, beginning to enjoy my new nomade life and nomade kitchen. With a nomade husband. Who can't live without my nomade niece, and so on.

I'm not going to bore you more. Let's talk about this fried chicken.  

I've carefully read the rules for this challenge but it happens that I'm a quite observant jew and we use to not mix milk and meat. Never. I know, we're very complicated people in food issues.

So, no buttermilk for me in the marinate. I thought that I should maybe skip this month, but they reassured me that for me the buttermilk was not an obligation.  Thank you!!

To not betray my "Strasbourgeoises" origins what did I do? Take a guess.

I used beer, of course!

Then, I meditated on giving an Alsatian twist to the whole dish. That's why I choose potato crumbs to breading. And Onion and beer sauce and braised cabbage for complements.

WARNING: I don't feel to be worthy of others MTChallengers level. When I cook, I just follow my feelings. I have not any geniality in cooking. Just simple things, with simple ingredients.

Actually, I don't cook. I fix lunches or dinners to feed my loved ones.

Just to say that I'm here only to play, enjoy, learning from others and...because my niece pushed me!

Now it's time for the recipe. It goes like this:

The breaded fried chicken with an Alsatian twist:

I made just one chicken, half my way, the other half in Silvia's way

Myriam's Braised red cabbage with apples.

This is a very traditional Alsatian recipe. The original one also asks for chestnut but only in season. Some add "lardons" (small bacon dice), bay leaves, juniper berries and cloves.

This is my mother's version, from a poorer and simpler jewish kitchen.

1 red cabbage

100 g schmaltz

1 big minced onion

4 "reinette" apples (I used Gala)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

500 ml red wine (I used Sula, a local Indian Cabernet)

250 g chestnuts (didn't use them)

salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar

Cut the cabbage in four and take the tough parts off. Cut it in thin stripes.

Mix the cabbage with the salt, sugar and vinegar and let it marinate overnight. The vinegar has the task to fix the cabbage color.

The day after, melt the schmaltz in a oven proof pan and sauté the onion. When it's soft, add the cabbage and pour the wine. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover the the pan with its lid and put it simmer in the oven at 180° for one hour.

If using, make a deep cut on the chestnut skin and deep fry them for 3 or four minutes. Peel them when still hot paying special attention to eliminate the thin black skin. You can also use frozen or canned chestnut but believe me, the taste will neve be the same.

Incorporate the chestnuts to the cabbage in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Peel and cut the apples. You can choose as you like cut them in cubes or in 8 wedges. I prefer the cubes, but it's your choice. Add the apples to the pan 10 minutes before the end of cooking time.

The dish is done when no cooking juice is left. It has to be moist but with no extra liquid.

Roasted Onion and beer sauce

When you use beer, food may tend to be bitter. You can balance this with a pinch of sugar or in other sweet ways, as using roasted or caramelized onions. Don't use the beer from the marinade, open a new one, same kind.

I only find red onions here, but yellow or white ones suit better.

Extra virgin Olive oil

2 large onion, unpeeled , quartered

250 ml blonde beer (Leffe, for me)

salt

freshly ground white pepper

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat your oven at 200°C.

In a baking tray, lay down the onions quarters, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. I don't peel them because of the smoky flavour of the roasted peels, which is irresistible to me.

Bake the onions until tender and surface is golden brown. It will be about half an hour.

Transfer the onion to a blender and puree until smooth.

In a saucepan, pour the beer and bring to a boil over high heat until reduced to the half. Add the onion puree. Correct the seasoning if needed. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.

Heat the sauce just before serving, being careful to not to boil.

His Majesty the fried chicken itself

1 Whole chicken, cut in pieces (I didn't weigh it)

Marinade:

1 blonde beer (Leffe for me)

1 celery stalk, whole, with leaves on

1 carrot, peeled, cut in chunks

1 leek, cut in chunks

some juniper berries

some good black peppercorns

Combine all ingredients and put your chicken pieces to take a relaxing bath for 3 hours. Beer is very powerful for marinades, You can also leave it overnight but you will find your meat with an ugly grey color and a mushy texture.

Turn the chicken often lo let penetrate the marinade everywhere.

Potato chips crumbs

1kg potatoes

4 tablespoons schmaltz, melted

2 teaspoons powdered onion

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Plus:

3 eggs

100 g flour

lot of schmalz for frying

salt

First, make your crumbs. You can make this ahead and store them in airtight container for weeks.

Preheat you oven at 190°C. Slice potatoes into 3mm slices and toss them with the melted schmaltz, onion powder and a little salt. In a baking sheet, arrange them in a single layer. Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Now, season again with salt and pepper to taste. For the maximum crispiness, transfer them immediately to a wire rack to let them cool.

When cool, do not succumb to the temptation to eat them all. Forget it. 

Grind them in a food processor until obtaining a coarse powder, like sand. Set aside, or store it.

Now, Remove chicken from the marinade, shake it to eliminate the excess and let it drain on a rack for about half an hour. Discard marinade.

Prepare everything you need: a plate with the flour, a bowl with the beaten eggs, another plate with the crumbs. You will also need a plate to lay down the breaded chicken and another one lined with kitchen paper towels, to put the just fried pieces.

Only then, you can proceed.

Be sure your chicken has dripped off any excess of marinade. You also can throughly wipe it with paper towel to make sure the coating adhere.

Breaded chicken before frying

Roll the chicken trough the flour.

Dip each piece in the beaten eggs. Hold the piece over the bowl and shake it to eliminate the excess.

Roll each piece in the crumbs, pressing on to make them adhere properly. 

Put them on a plate while you finish coating all your pieces.

Now, let's have fun.

Take your frying pan. A cast iron one, for me.

Melt the schmaltz and heat it until reach 180°C.

Fry your chicken few pieces at time, until beautiful golden brown.

Let drain on a plate lined with paper towel.

Season with salt after frying.

Keep the chicken warm in the oven at 120° while you finish frying.

Enjoy it dipped in the onion sauce, accompanied by the braised cabbage.

Breaded fried chicken. Internal view .

For Silvia's floured fried chicken:

same beer marinade as the previous recipe

1/2 chicken cut in pieces

100 g flour

salt 

pepper

schmaltz for frying

Floured chicken before frying

Proceed as above to remove the chicken from the marinade and let it drain.

Mix flour, salt and pepper in a large food storage bag.

Insert the chicken pieces and shake it until perfectly coated.

Floured fried chicken. Internal view

Deep fry in schmaltz heated at 180°C, three pieces at time.

Let it drain on a plate, lined with paper towel to eliminate the excess of fat.

Keep it warm in the oven at 120°, while you finish frying.