Day 122: reassured deep frying

Here we are again. Saturday morning. Where does the week go? I’m pretty sure I blink on a Monday morning - after taking a freshly baked loaf out of the oven - and I open my eyes to a world six days ahead! Anyway, we’re not here to discuss how fast time flies when you’re having fun (or getting older!).

Deep frying is for sure a method of cooking I avoid at home. I don’t have a deep fat fryer, or a well-ventilated kitchen, I get grease everywhere, and the smell clings to everything for what seems like days. I spend longer clearer up than I do frying! That is not to say I don’t like deep fried food. On the contrary: I have a deep love for it. Its characteristic golden hue, the satisfying crunch. The excuse to eat things dunked in batter, or coated in breadcrumbs, that you might not usually. It’s a food type I like to save for when I’m eating out. My recent indulgence was on a basket of frickles.

The same cannot be said for sandwich eating, however. This is a private affair. I like to take my sweet time assembling a sandwich; a duration that lasts far longer than the eating. And even though I believe sandwiches, and indeed burgers, should bellow outwards and not upwards, my small mouth still struggles to fit in even a well-constructed sandwich. It’s a messy happening! Far better enjoyed in my own company, or that of non-judging eyes at least.

So what does one do when they want a fried chicken sandwich? Naturally, you submit to the writings of Nigella and embark on your journey to forge your own with her recipe for a Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Nigella’s Fried Chicken Sandwich

For me, it’s the calming tone and lack of panic that emanates from Nigella’s writings, and indeed TV shows, that enables me to convey some essence of tranquillity to my own kitchen. This is the most stress-free deep frying I’ve ever partaken in. I’ve fried quite a bit of chicken before, and I’m not sure I did anything differently for this, but the guiding pages of Cook Eat Repeat made a most enjoyable experience of it indeed. There was less mess, for a start, and it was better planned. And therein lie the answer: planning. A concept, a state of mind, a skill, that continues to evade me; requiring a huge level of concentration to achieve. But becoming possible with Nigella by my side!

I bought a packet of five skinless chicken thigh fillets with the intention of freezing three. As I was submerging the two intended for supper into their buttermilky bath I thought '“meh, why not” and put all five in (adding more buttermilk, spices and seasoning to compensate).

Flavour musings

Building a sandwich is a deeply personal affair; a cherished happening between bread, filling and eater. No one can tell you what's right or wrong in a sandwich. Build it. Eat it. Make a mess all over your face and down your brand new t-shirt (that you’ve inappropriately worn to paint party). And own it.

Assembly, top to bottom: brioche bun base, gochujang/mayo hot sauce, shredded iceberg lettuce, deep fried chicken, kimchi, pink-pickled onions, fermented/brined cucumbers and more of the aforementioned hot sauce on the inside of the coronating bun top.

It was so good, and I felt so guided and reassured throughout the first deep frying process, that I baked an Old-Fashioned Sandwich Loaf to repeat it all again the following night; using a hot sauce made with mayo and crispy chilli in oil instead.

Both occasions were enjoyed in private bliss, and I - thankfully - kept my apron on through the entire process, including the eating.

As Blanche Devereaux might say: “I am stunned that I didn’t make this before. Just stunned”.