1 serving
Ten-year-old brandy plus bitters and house-made limonada make for a distinctive, smoky cocktail at Topolobampo, where it is shaken at the table.
MAKE AHEAD: You'll have plenty of leftover limonada, which can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. It's nice mixed with sparkling water.
The mezcal and brandy called for in this recipe are available through Ace Beverage Washington.
Adapted from Rick Bayless' Topolobampo restaurant in Chicago.
Ingredients
Coarse kosher salt, for garnish
6 to 10 ice cubes
1 1/2 ounces Wahaka Joven Espadin Mezcal (see headnote)
1/2 ounce Torres 10 Imperial Brandy Gran Reserva (see headnote)
2 1/2 ounces limonada (see NOTE)
3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
Lime wedge or wheel, for garnish
Steps
Wet the rim of a cocktail (martini) glass. Invert it onto a dish of coarse salt to coat the rim.
Fill a cocktail shaker with the ice. Add the mezcal, brandy, limonada and bitters; seal and shake vigorously until frothy and cold; tiny ice crystals will appear in the drink after about 15 seconds of shaking. Strain into the glass.
Garnish with the lime; serve right away.
NOTE: To make the limonada, combine 1 cup of fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water in a pitcher or glass container. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. The yield is about 2 3/4 cups.
Nutrition | Per serving: 180 calories, 0 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 12 g sugar
Chicken Fried Chicken With Chorizo Gravy
8 servings
This popular, hearty plate at Dove's Luncheonette is an outstanding and original take on chicken fried steak. The lucky crowd you're serving won't need much else. The recipe has several steps, which are not difficult and can be done over a day or two.
At the restaurant, chef Dennis Bernard serves the chicken boneless and slightly butterflied. But he prefers it cooked on the bone, for more flavor. If you choose to use boneless/butterflied chicken thighs in this recipe, reduce the frying time as needed.
You'll need an instant-read thermometer for monitoring the frying oil and the chicken; a splatter screen for the pan is helpful, too.
Adapted from Bernard, chef de cuisine at Dove's Luncheonette in Chicago.
Make Ahead: The chicken needs to be brined in the refrigerator for 3 hours. The drained, brined chicken needs to rest in the refrigerator, uncovered, overnight. The gravy is best made just before serving.
Ingredients
For the brine
1 gallon cold water
1 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
12 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 small bunch fresh rosemary
1 small bunch fresh thyme
1 handful flat-leaf parsley (with stems)
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
For the chicken
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (see headnote; about 5 pounds total)
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon powdered chili de arbol
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups regular or low-fat buttermilk
2 cups green peas, blanched (fresh or frozen/defrosted; see NOTES)
2 packed cups spring onion bulbs, cooked (see NOTES)
Generous splash champagne vinegar (see NOTES)
For the chorizo gravy
1 1/2 pounds fresh Chorizo Verde (see accompanying recipe)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) flour
2 1/2 to 3 cups regular or low-fat milk
Steps
For the brine: Combine 1 quart of the water with the 1 cup of salt, all the honey, the bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, parsley, lemon zest and juice in a pot large enough to hold 1 gallon.
Place over medium heat; cook, stirring, until the salt has dissolved. Let it cool completely, then stir in the remaining 3 quarts of water.
For the chicken: Add the thighs to the brine; cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Discard the brine; use paper towels to pat the chicken dry. Place on a baking sheet or platter; refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
Place an ovenproof wire cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels in the oven; preheat to 200 degrees. Heat an inch of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Lay a wide sheet of wax paper on the countertop.
Whisk together the flour; the garlic, onion and chili powders, and the salt; divide the mixture between two medium bowls. Pour the buttermilk into a separate medium bowl.
Coat each chicken thigh all over in the first bowl of flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk, then into the second flour mixture bowl, pressing so the final coating adheres all over. Transfer to the wax paper. Discard any excess flour mixture and buttermilk.
Working in batches, fry the chicken for a total of 20 minutes (under a splatter screen, if you have one), turning once after 10 minutes, until golden, crunchy and cooked through; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) should register 160 degrees. Transfer the fried chicken to the rack in the oven to keep warm as you work.
Meanwhile, make the chorizo gravy: Place the chorizo verde in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat; cook for about 15 minutes or until no trace of raw meat remains, breaking up any large clumps along the way.
Add the butter; once it has melted, sprinkle the flour over the skillet. Stir until well incorporated. Increase the heat to medium-high; gradually add 2 1/2 cups of the milk, stirring constantly, just until the mixture starts to thicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook for about 15 minutes, stirring a few times, to form a nicely flavored and thickened gravy. If it seems too thick, add some or all of the remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Use right away, or cover and keep warm on the lowest setting.
When ready to serve, divide the chicken among individual plates. Top with a generous portion of the chorizo gravy, the peas and onions. Serve warm.
NOTES: To blanch the peas, add to a pot of salted, boiling water. Cook for 15 to 20 seconds, then immediately drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain.
To cook the spring onion bulbs, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Uncover and add the champagne vinegar; cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly colored and tender. Increase the heat to medium-high; cook, stirring, just long enough to lightly caramelize the outside of the onions. Remove from the heat.
Nutrition : Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.
Chorizo Verde
8 servings (makes 1 1/2 pounds)
Ground pork shoulder combined with charred poblano and serrano peppers plus tomatillo, cilantro, pepitas and dried peppers make a terrific fresh green chorizo, a less-spicy alternative to typical red kinds.
MAKE AHEAD: The sausage mixture needs to rest, covered, in the refrigerator overnight, and up to 1 week; or freeze it (in portions) for up to 3 months.
Adapted from Dennis Bernard, chef de cuisine at Dove's Luncheonette in Chicago.
Ingredients
1 large or 1 1/2 medium (4 ounces total) poblano chili peppers
2 small serrano chili peppers (1 ounce total)
3 or 4 small (4 ounces total) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
3 dried chipotle chili peppers (1 1/4 ounces total)
1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
1 bunch cilantro (including tender stems)
2 cloves garlic
1 1/4 pounds ground pork shoulder
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Steps
Char the poblano and serrano peppers and tomatillos over an open flame (or on a baking sheet under the broiler) on all sides. Place in a plastic bag; close and let sit for 15 minutes, then peel and discard the peppers' stems and skins. Cut the flesh into chunks (together is okay; include the seeds). Cut the tomatillos into chunks.
Soak the dried chipotles in a bowl of very hot water for about 10 minutes or until softened. Drain, and discard the stem, then cut into several pieces (include the seeds).
Toast the pepitas, sesame seeds and oregano in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned, shaking the pan to avoid scorching. Cool completely.
Add the following ingredients one at a time, in order, to the food processor, pulsing just until each one is coarsely chopped before adding the next: the cilantro, garlic, drained chipotle peppers, poblano-tomatillo-serrano mix and the toasted pepitas blend.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl; add the ground pork shoulder and the salt; use your clean hands to mix well so the green ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate overnight, and up to 1 week, before cooking.
Nutrition | Per serving: 170 calories, 14 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 490 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar
