There's more banter than batter when this unlikely duo decide to hold a fried chicken challenge.
In the first episode of Martha and Snoop's Potluck Kitchen (showing as a late-night marathon on Food Network Australia on March 3 and 4) Martha and Snoop are joined in the kitchen by Seth Rogan and Wiz Khalifa. Khalifa brings along some green herbs - "from a different part of the wood now, you know what I'm talking about?" says Snoop - while Rogan declares "This is the weirdest group of people ever on a stage together." You're getting an idea of how this is going to go, right?
Martha declares she's competitive, Snoop tells her not to put the hard word on the guests to vote for her, and when Martha explains her recipe includes leaving the chicken in the fridge for two days, Snoop points out that most people put the chicken in the fridge for a couple of days after it's been cooked.
And then the battle's on.
Now, Snoop gives up his secret right from the start - a handful of potato crisps crumbled over the top of the wings before they are egged, coated in flour and fried. And yep, he's winging it (sorry, couldn't resist) on the frying time.
"I don't have to have no timer. You look at the grease. The grease tell you when it's time to take it out," says Snoop as Seth Rogan dodges spattering oil before donning what looks more like a blinged-up sleep mask than safety googles, and Wiz Khalifa grabs a little greenery and throws it in the fryer.
Snoop's recipe is not precise, but if you want to make it, here's roughly how it goes: heat a litre of vegetable oil in a heavy cast iron pot or fryer to 350ºF/175°C. Season 2.3kg of chicken wings with ¼ cup of seasoning mix of choice (the show's a little light on about what seasoning Snoop uses) and a big handful of crumbled BBQ potato chips. Dredge in flour to coat, then working in batches, fry the wings in the hot oil until golden, crisp and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). Drain on a towel-lined plate then serve.
Martha's fried chicken on the left, Snoop's secret ingredient wings on the right. Source: Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Martha's version (get the recipe right here) is, not surprisingly, more traditional, and includes brining the pieces overnight, before dropping into a seasoned buttermilk mixture and refrigerating for at least four hours. Tossed in a cornflour-flour mixture and fried (you guessed it, Martha reads the grease using a deep-fry thermometer, and also uses a meat thermometer to check the chicken), it ends up looking mighty fine.
Now, while Snoop and Seth are frying up the wings and Martha's taking a temperature probe to a test piece of chicken, Ice Cube arrives to add to the wise-cracking and general chicken-themed mayhem.
Martha's fried chicken is days in the making. Source: Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
More frying, more talking up their respective bird - and joshing Rogan for eating fried chicken with a knife and fork - plus some unexpected revelations (guess which one of the five got hit by lightning multiple times?) and it's time for the verdict.
Which chicken got the votes? Nope, no spoilers - you can watch the ep to see who wins.
Ice Cube, Seth Rogan, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart and Wiz Khalifa ready to eat. Source: Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Watch Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party March 3 and 4 - check the TV Guide for episode screening times; then on SBS On Demand.
