For Mama? Fried Chicken and Waffles…

Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973
Drawing Claude, Francoise and Paloma, 1954
Oil on Canvas, 116 x 89 cm
Picasso Museum, Paris
Cubist Master

My mother loves a good hearty breakfast and a good southern brunch, to boot, so I came up with a recipe she hasn’t had in years: gluten free fried chicken and waffles. That’s right. GLUTEN FREE FRIED CHICKEN AND WAFFLES. It may not be super fancy, but lately in Austin, people have been going bonkers over fried chicken and waffles. It’s a southern classic and it is filling, which fits in nicely with my mom’s eating philosophy: the age old adage of “eat breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pauper.” So for this mother’s day, spoil your mother rotten with a fried southern delicacy that you would never ever guess was gluten free.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MOM!!!!!!

For the Fried Chicken:

6 organic drum sticks
6 organic chicken thighs
4 cups organic buttermilk
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
14 black peppercorns
1 celery stalk, leaves included
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

The night before, pour the buttermilk into a large glass bowl and whisk in the cayenne pepper, salt and peppercorns. Roughly chop the celery stalk toss it in. Submerge the chicken pieces into the buttermilk, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, just before you are ready to fry your chicken, prepare your flour mixture.
4 eggs
3 cups water
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/3 cup sorghum
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup glutinous rice flour
1 1 /2 tablespoons guar gum
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1tablespoons paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder

3 cups peanut oil

In a large roasting pan, combine all the flours and the spices and whisk with a fork to evenly distribute. Whisk the water with the eggs and then whisk into the flour mixture with a firm mid section (yes, tighten that bellly!) The batter will look like thousand island dressing, which is perfect.

Pour the oil into a large dutch oven and heat to 350°F. You really want to maintain the oil temperature to insure even frying, so make sure you have a good thermometer. A candy thermometer will suffice.

Drain the chicken into a colander. The chicken will look engorged, which is exactly what you want. Pat dry.

One at a time, dip the chicken into the batter. Using either your fingers or tongues, life the morsels out by the bones and then carefully slip them into the oil. Fry for 6-8 minutes on each side. If you are choosing to use white meat, simply cook for a shorter period of time, 4-5 minutes per side. The chicken pieces should be golden brown.

Repeat until all the chicken has been fried.

Drain the old fashioned way over a paper bag or paper towels laid on a plate. Transfer the wire rack to a 200°F oven to keep warm while you continue to work.

For the Waffles:

½ cup glutinous rice flour
½ cup tapioca flour
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup gluten free oat flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons guar gum
½ cup powdered buttermilk
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups seltzer water

Heat your waffle iron per your manufacture’s instructions and then make your batter.

In a large glass bowl, whisk together all the flours, guar gum, the powdered buttermilk, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract and vegetable oil until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until smooth. Add the seltzer water and mix till smooth.

Pour 1/3 cup of batter into your waffle iron (less for smaller irons. I used a four-waffle model) and close until the green light comes on.

Transfer the waffles to a jellyroll sheet and place in the preheated oven with the chicken to keep warm.

Photos by Knoxy of Knox Photographics.

Serve immediately with fresh chantilly cream, berries, and maple syrup.

Florine Stettheimer, 1871-1944
Still Life with Flowers, (Phlox, Verbena and Daisies), 1921
Oil on Canvas Mounted on Hardboard 65.4 x 75.2 cm
Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco