Southern fried chicken with spicy tomato ketchup and coleslaw
Ingredients
For the southern fried chicken
- 1 x 2kg/4lb 7oz chicken, cut into 8 portions
- 3 free-range egg whites
- 150g/5¼oz Japanese panko breadcrumbs, or dried breadcrumbs
- 2 lemons, zest only
- 1½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1½ tsp garlic salt
- 1½ tsp dried thyme
- 1½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the spicy tomato ketchup
- 125ml/4½fl oz cider vinegar
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 star anise, lightly crushed
- 60g/2½oz soft light brown sugar
- 750g/1lb 9oz ripe tomatoes, quartered, seeds removed
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp English mustard powder
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled, crushed
- Tabasco sauce, to taste
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp cornflour, mixed with 1 tsp water (optional)
For the coleslaw
- 2 free-range egg yolks
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp English mustard
- 200ml/7fl oz rapeseed oil
- 90ml/3½fl oz olive oil
- 2 tbsp cold water
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 250g/9oz carrots, peeled, finely shredded
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú white cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 red onion, peeled, finely sliced
- 3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
For the southern fried chicken, remove the skin from the chicken pieces and slash the flesh with the tip of a sharp knife.
Lightly whisk the egg whites together in a bowl and add the chicken, mixing well to coat.
Place all the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, dried thyme, dried oregano, cracked black pepper and sea salt into a bowl and mix until well combined. Dip the chicken pieces in the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring all of the chicken is well coated.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fat fryer to 170C/338F, checking the temperature with a digital thermometer. Alternatively, half-fill a deep, heavy-based pan with the vegetable oil and heat until a breadcrumb dropped in sizzles and turns golden-brown in 30 seconds. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Cook the chicken, a few pieces at a time, in the oil for 6-10 minutes (depending on the size of each piece), or until golden-brown and crisp, turning the pieces over occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a baking tray, then cook the chicken in the oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through (the juices should run clear when the chicken is pierced in the thickest part with a skewer). Keep warm.
For the spicy tomato ketchup, place the vinegar, chilli, star anise and sugar into a heavy-based, non-reactive pan and bring to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, then all of the other remaining ketchup ingredients, apart from the cornflour and water mixture. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently to prevent the mixture from catching on the bottom of the pan.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Transfer the ketchup mixture to a food processor and blend to a smooth purée. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, discarding any solids.
If the ketchup is too thin for your liking, return the ketchup to a clean pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the cornflour and water mixture and cook until thickened to the desired consistency.
For the coleslaw, place the egg yolks, vinegar and mustard into a food processor with a pinch of salt and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in the oils through the feeder, alternating between them as you go, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise.
Whisk in the water and lemon juice and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the carrots, cabbage, onion and parsley into a bowl and add enough mayonnaise to lightly coat.
To serve, divide the chicken pieces among four serving plates and spoon the coleslaw alongside. Spoon the tomato ketchup into small ramekins or sauce bowls and serve alongside.