Recipe: Mississippi Honey-Battered Fried Chicken

MISSISSIPPI HONEY-BATTERED FRIED CHICKEN
"The renowned food writer and my friend and neighbor Craig Claiborne was the one who introduced me to the unusual honey-battered version of Southern fried chicken served all over his native Mississippi, and I must say it's some of the most delectable chicken you'll ever sink your teeth into."



"To intensify the flavors, you can first marinate the chicken pieces for about an hour in the honey and vinegar, as Craig like to do, before dredging them in the seasoned flours, but I personally prefer to mix up a tangy-sweet batter and let it meld as indicated here. If you want your fried chicken to remain crisp, remember never to cover it or keep it warm in the oven."

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons fruit-flavored vinegar
1/2 cup lard
1/2 cup peanut oil
1 (3 1/2 pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces

In a bowl, combine the two flours, salt, pepper, honey, and vinegar, stir till well blended, and let the batter stand for 1 hour.

In a large cast iron skillet or electric frypan, add the lard and peanut oil and heat to 365 degrees F on a deep-fat thermometer.

Stir the batter again, dip the dark meat pieces of chicken into the batter to lightly coat, and fry in the fat till golden and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes on each side, turning once with tongs. Drain on paper towels, then repeat the procedure with the remaining chicken pieces. Do not cover to keep warm.

Serve the chicken warm or a room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings
Source: Southern Fried by James Villas