After making my Welsh / Buck Rarebit, I still have some chili jam and that Guinness stout cheese sauce leftovers. I figured out why not make something outta them. This is how my Welsh Fried Chicken Sandwich is born; hypothetically speaking, I just added a fried chicken to a Welsh Rarebit with some caramelized onions.
The challenge for me is how to make the fried chicken as Welsh as possible. The traditional breading of buttermilk and flour option is out. Then I thought of Fish N Chips. I was skeptical but went ahead with that idea anyway. It worked!
I was actually quite surprised that the combination works so well. Perhaps the chili jam cut thru' all that richness nicely. Or perhaps battered fried chicken is better than breaded fried chicken? Hmm... Either way, you have to give this a try to be the judge.
Ingredients:
(Make 2 sandwiches)
Brine:
Water, 60g
Sherry Wine, 1 TBSP
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Garlic Powder, Pinch
Onion Powder, Pinch
Dried Anchovies, 1/2 TBSP
Dried Shrimps, 1/2 TBSP
Chicken Breast Boneless Preferably with Skin, 1
Batter:
Lager Preferably UK, 100g
Vodka, 25g
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Garlic Powder, Pinch
Onion Powder, Pinch
Baking Powder, 1/2 TBSP
Cornstarch, 15g
Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 78g
Grapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 1.5 TBSP
Kewpie Mayo, 1/2 TBSP
Sandwich:
Grapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, For Deep Frying
Sandwich Bread, 4 Slices
Unsalted Butter, 4 TBSP
Chili Jam Homemade, For Spreading
Guinness Cheese Sauce Homemade, For Drizzling
Caramelized Onions Homemade, 2 Heaped TBSP
Parsley Finely Chopped, Pinch
Equipment:
Dutch Oven
Food Processor
Spice Grinder
Directions:
Please visit my "Welsh Rarebit & Buck Rarebit" for the chili jam and Guinness cheese sauce recipes.
Please visit my "Pumpkin Butter Onion Tart" for the caramelized onions recipe.
Prepare the brine.
In a large bowl, add water, sherry, salt, pepper, mushroom, garlic and onion powder.
Mix until well combined.
Blitz the anchovies and shrimp in a spice grinder until powder forms.
Transfer into the water mixture.
Remove the skin from the chicken.
Butterfly the chicken breast and slice it in half.
Add the chicken to the brine, making sure the chicken is fully submerged.
Cover and set aside in the fridge for 1 to 2 hrs.
Prepare the batter.
Transfer all the ingredients to a large bowl.
Mix until smooth. It is okay to have some lumps.
Prepare the sandwich.
Prepare a dutch oven with at least 3 inches of oil over medium heat.
*Insert a wooden chopstick into the oil. If bubbles start bubbling around the chopstick, the oil is ready.*
Dredge the chicken into the batter, shaking off any excess. Discard the brine.
Gently drop into the oil away from you.
*I like to drizzle some of that batter onto the chicken during deep frying to add extra crispiness.*
Deep fried until light golden brown.
Remove from heat and set aside on a wire cooling rack or on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Remember the chicken skin?
Deep fried the chicken until crispy brown.
Remove from heat and set aside on a wire cooling rack or on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Deep fried the chicken 1 more time until golden brown.
Remove from heat and set aside on a wire cooling rack or on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Finely chop the chicken skin.
Assemble the sandwich.
Toast sandwich bread in some melted butter on a skillet over medium heat until crispy brown.
*I blitz my chili jam until smooth in a food processor.*
Spread the chili jam onto 2 toasted bread.
Place the fried chicken onto the jam.
Drizzle that Guinness cheese sauce over the chicken.
Top it off with some caramelized onions.
Sprinkle some parsley and chicken skin over the top.
And sandwich it with another toasted bread.
Serve immediately.
Everything is well balanced...
1 word: succulent...