KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE

but first.. here is some useless info

Colonel Sanders original white suit was auctioned off for $80,000 in
February 2002.

Colonel Sanders traveled over 250,000 miles a year visiting various
parts of his Kentucky Fried Chicken Empire.

Beijing boasts the world's largest Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.

His first job came at the age of ten when he started working at a
nearby farm for just $2 per month.

"About the most exciting thing that happened to me was a runaway -
train ride down Darlington Mountain near Russellville. It was a
pretty steep grade and I was sitting with my head out the window
enjoying the breeze when the engineer said, 'Harland, get ready to
hang on because we don't have any brakes."

This ones a little long.. but explains the proper way to cook chicken
parts.

Then in the late 1930's Harland was invited to a demonstration of a
product he called a new fangled gizmo, which turned out to be the
newly invented pressure cooker. Harland liked what it could do to
green vegetables, and how quick they were cooked. So he wondered what
it could do with chicken and bought one. After a number of
experiments, and modifications to the cooker, he could cook chicken
quickly, and the tast was even bettern than before. This original
Pressure Cooker is one of the exibits at the KFC museum in Corbin.
Pressure cookers are still used today by KFC in the cooking of
chicken.

Prep: 15 min; Cook: 30 min - Medium Difficulty
Serves 4

If you are expert at frying, skip to the ingredients.

For this Kentucky fried chicken recipe, you can use lard, crisco
(shortening), or one of the vegetable oils. You can also add butter,
if you choose, skimming off any foam that rises to the top while
heating the oil. You can toss in chunks of ham or bacon to add flavor.
Crucial are the skillet or pan, and the temperature of the oil. On my
first try the oil was too hot; the result was burned, undercooked
chicken. Oil that is not hot enough will not deliver crisp chicken.

Ideal frying temperature is about 365 degrees F (185 C) - ascertained
with a frying thermometer or by dropping a 2" square of bread in the
hot oil - it should turn golden brown in about 60 seconds.

When you have the right temperature, add the pieces slowly, one by
one, and do not crowd them. Be patient and do two or more batches, if
you must.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 good chicken (Kosher or 'natural' chickens are usually best),
cut into serving pieces, or use 8 to 10 leg pieces (drumsticks and
thighs), trimmed of excess fat.


* 1 tablespoon curry powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice


OR

fines herbes mix:

* 1 tsp chopped tarragon
* 1 tsp chopped chervil
* 1 tsp chopped chives
* 1 tsp chopped parsley
* (or any combination of the above, plus whatever else you fancy)


PLUS
* 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
* 1 egg
* 1 cup flour
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Enough oil or lard to fill skillet to a depth of about 1/2" -
lard, lard and butter combined or vegetable: Crisco shortening, corn,
canola, peanut. Canola or corn oil imparts the least flavor, lard the
most. Crisco shortening seems to result in the 'crispest' chicken.
Canola is considered the healthiest.

OO Large heavy skillet or casserole with cover; large mixing bowl;
tongs or a big fork for handling chicken pieces, frying thermometer
(ideally).

IN a bowl, mix chicken with salt, pepper, spices, garlic, chili, egg
and 2 tablespoons water. When thoroughly combined, blend in flour,
using your hands. Keep mixing until most of the flour is blended with
other ingredients and chicken is coated (add more water or flour if
mixture is too thin or too dry; it should be dry but not powdery and
not too wet - it has to adhere to the chicken).

ADD enough fat (oil) to your skillet to come to a depth of about 1/2
inch and turn heat to medium. If you are using butter, skim any foam
as it rises to the surface.

WHEN oil is hot (see introductory paragraphs) raise heat to high.
Slowly add chicken pieces to skillet. Cover skillet, reduce heat to
medium (more or less - oil should sizzle but not smoke) and cook for 7
minutes.

UNCOVER skillet, turn chicken and continue to cook, uncovered, for
another 7 minutes.

TURN chicken again and cook for about 5 minutes more, turning as
necessary to ensure that both sides are golden brown.

REMOVE chicken from skillet and drain on paper towels placed on
newspaper (for additional absorption). Serve chicken immediately, or
cold.


The Pope was discussing the financial situation of the church with the
College of Cardinals. There was a great orphanage whose survival was
in jeopardy. They decided to search out new and different support. One
day Colonel Sanders came to the Pope and said, "I will give you five
million dollars under one condition." "What is the condition?" asked
the Pope. "Change the wording of the Lord's prayer from 'Give us this
day our daily bread to give us this day our daily chicken.'" The Pope
said, "Are you kidding me? We could never change the words to the
Lord's prayer."

Three years later Colonel Sanders returned and asked the Pope again.
"Ok, I'll give you ten million dollars, and I only place one condition
on it that you change the Lord's Prayer from 'Give us this day our
daily bread' to 'give us this day our daily chicken.'" "I already told
you," said the Pope, "Such a sacred prayer of the church is not for
sale."

Another three years went by and once again Colonel Sanders returned to
the Pope. "I know you are hurting financially and I am a charitable
man. I will give you twenty million dollars with only one condition.
Change the words of the Lord's Prayer from 'give us this day our daily
bread to give us this day our daily chicken.'"

The Pope went to speak with the College of Cardinals. "Well, I have
some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Colonel
Sanders has blessed us with twenty million dollars and the orphanage
will survive. The bad news is we lost the Wonder Bread account."