The Californian from Salinas, California • Page B2

2B thecalifornian.comThe Salinas Californian Salinas Life Countless recipes have been tried out in the Chicago Tribune test kitchen but never one quite like this. Our mission: find out if 11ingredients handwritten on a piece of paper could be he secret blend of 11herbs and spices that go into Kentucky Fried riginal Recipe a closely guarded form ula that remains one of the big- est culinary mysteries. The recipe came to us by way of Colonel Harland nephew, Joe Ledington of Kentucky. He says he found it in a scrapbook belonging to his late Aunt Claudia, second wife. Ledington, 67, says he used to blend the spices that went into his world-famous ried chicken, and the recipe in question is the real deal.

We wanted to see make that taste for ourselves. So we put it to the test. Our aim was not to replicate the exact ooking method used by KFC. That method has been explored and written about by others. Indeed, we decided to soak the raw chicken in a buttermilk-egg bath before frying based on some of those descriptions.

Instead, we wanted to test the spice blend detailed in the recipe, which also calls for two cups of white flour. Several batches of chicken were prep ared in the Tribune test kitchen by recipe tester and stylist Lisa Schumacher. Food Dining reporters and editors tasted each batch, comparing it to a bucket KFC Original Recipe fried chicken hat we purchased at the restaurant at 1 144 S. Western Ave. in Chicago.

bought all new herbs and spices common grocery store brands for the testing. We used all-purpose flour and standard table salt. he spice recipe, as written: 1 1Spices Mix With 2 Cups White Fl. 1 Ts Salt 2) Ts Thyme 3) Ts Basil 4) Ts Origino (sic) 5 1Ts Celery Salt 6 1Ts Black Pepper 7 1Ts Dried Mustard 8) 4 Ts Paprika 9) 2 Ts Garlic Salt 10) 1Ts Ground Ginger 11) 3 Ts White Pepper The first challenge was to determine what that capital meant. Standard practice in abbreviating recipe measures has a capital standing for tables poon.

But what if the person who wrote the list on a seemingly random piece of paper meant teaspoon? So we tested the spice mix both ways: with teaspoon mea- ures and with tablespoon measures, oth mixed into two cups of flour. I comparing those first two batches, asters immediately agreed that the answer was: equals tablespoons. After frying, the coating with the lesser amount of herbs and spices did not have he intensity of flavor we were looking or. ut even the flavor of the favored batch quite right. Turns out the frying oil was too hot, causing the breading to brown too much, which overpow- red the taste of the herbs and spices.

or the next couple batches, Schum acher tried double dipping into the spice and flour mixture. Too much coat- ing, tasters decided. With the oil temperature just right at 350 degrees, the chicken soaked in buttermilk and coated just once in the breading mixture, we had our final tasting. How was it? Well, really good. In fact, asters agreed the test kitchen fried chicken was even better than the But more important, did it taste like he secret blend of herbs and pices? It came very close, yet some- hing was still missing.

when a rep orter grabbed a small container of the MSG flavor-enhancer Accent (how did that get in the test kitchen?) and sprinkled it on a piece of the fried chicken. hat did the trick. ur chicken was virtually indistin- uishable from the batch bought at KFC. (Does KFC add MSG? A KFC spokesperson confirms that it does use it in the Original Recipe chicken.) ottom line, could this be the Colon secret blend of 11herbs and spices? sure think so. The only folks who can say definitively are the keepers of the recipe at parent company, Yum! rands.

We asked, but the company would only say, of people through the years have claimed to discover or figure out the secret recipe, but no ver been A ll we know is the recipe we tested ertainly tastes like KFC. And whatever it is, finger good. KFC recipe challenge is a tasty task Chicago Tribune kitchen putsherbs, pices to the test JOE GRAY CHICAGO TRIBUNE TNS We taste much of a difference between Kentucky Fried Chicken, right, and the fried chicken, left, on wire rack, we made in our test kitchen. Fried chicken with 11herbs and spices Prep: 30 minutes, Soak: 20-30 minutes, Cook: 15-18 minutes, Makes: 4 servings Ingredients 2cups all-purpose flour 2 3 tablespoon salt 1 2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves 1 2 tablespoon dried basil leaves 1 3 tablespoon dried oregano leaves 1tablespoon celery salt 1tablespoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon dried mustard 4tablespoons paprika 2tablespoons garlic salt 1 tablespoon ground ginger 3tablespoons ground white pepper 1cup buttermilk 1 egg, beaten 1chicken, cut up, the breast pieces cut in half for more even frying Expeller-pressed canola oil Instructions Mix the flour in a bowl with all the herbs and pices; set aside. Mix the buttermilk and egg together in a separate bowl until combined.

Soak the chick- in the buttermilk mixture at room temperature, 20-30 minutes. Remove chicken from the buttermilk, allow- i ng excess to drip off. Dip the chicken pieces in the herb-spice-flour mixture to coat all sides, shaking off excess. Allow to sit on a rack over abaking sheet, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat about 3 inches of the oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar heavy pot with high sides) over medium-high heat to 350 egrees.

(Use a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature.) When temperature is reached, lower the heat to medium to main- ain it at 350. Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry until medium golden brown, turning once, 15-18 min- tes. Transfer chicken pieces to a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding more hicken.

Repeat with remaining chicken. When our oldest child left for college ast fall, I knew I would miss him terribly. But would he miss or even think a bout home? really close, but Solomon is an independent guy and had spent plenty of time away, so I was pretty sure he be homesick. I was happy to call him weekly, but I sure what might rompt him to initiate a call or text. The answer? A cooking question: do I make that chicken? How much lime do I use in that dressing? What salad should I bring to a Even without a kitchen in his freshman dorm, Solomon found plenty of opportunities to cook at houses and on team trips.

When he left for college, Solomon was among the more kitchen-savvy (and enthusiastic) boys in his crowd, but some of my friends worry that their kids ave even the most basic cooking skills they might need in their next phase of life. ollege students tell me they cook, or at least aspire to, for a number of reasons. Some of the biggest are wanting ealthier or tastier food than what is available on campus, saving money, being creative, managing food allergies or just craving something homemade when hungry. Sometimes the realities for college students, especially with no car and no kitchen, keep them from cooking much until after their freshman year. But Solomon reported that he had some of his best times last year cooking for or with riends, and he was proud to show off his kitchen skills when the opportunity a rose.

He was particularly psyched to get invited back to the home of some senior girls befriended to cook more meals a fter he made them So what basic cooking skills do kids eed? Here are basic techniques kids may want to master this summer. In my experience teaching kids in the kitchen, learned not to assume that everyone knows what may seem obvious to more seasoned cooks: Wield a knife: The biggest and most undervalued key to having good knife skills is keeping knives sharp. Even an inexpensive, easy-to-use sharpener can turn your dull blades into well-honed slicing-and-dicing machines. Teach your child to sharpen knives frequently, and ave them learn to safely and effectively hold and use a knife. YouTube videos and practice can be very effect ive teachers.

Boil water: If you can boil water, you can make pasta, rice, hard-boiled ggs, mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables. If using a gas stove, turn the heat as high as it will go without the flame extending past the edge of the pot. Cover to bring the liquid to a quicker boil. If your kid can melt some oil or butter in a skillet, they can scramble or fry an egg and vegetables, tofu or meat. Make sure the oil or butter is hot before adding the food, and stir occasionally with a spatula or spoon to keep ood cooking evenly.

If using a nonstick pan, preheat it with the oil or butter al- eady in the pan, and use nonmetal utensils to avoid scratching the surface. Bake and roast: guessing your child has baked cookies at least once. But i not, teach them about preheating the oven, buttering or oiling the pan to make leanup easier, setting a timer so food burn, using mitts to take hot pans out of the oven, knowing the difference between baking and broiling (we broil to brown the top of food quickly), and using high heat to roast vegetables or meat quickly and effectively. Use a slow cooker: With the right ratio of food to liquid, you can slow-cook almost anything, from a whole chicken, to soups and stews, to beans or potatoes. Slow cookers work at low heat for hours without anyone needing to be ome to tend to it.

Many college students tell me they use this appliance more than any other because they can put the chick- and seasonings in it in the morning or early afternoon, then come home to a hot and perfectly cooked meal after class. Plan meals: If we teach our kids how to plan in advance for a meal or two, figure out what to serve to make a complete and nutritious dinner, make a grocery list and shop, and know when to start cooking each dish so they will all be ready at the same time, have the essential skills to cook anywhere, any- ime. Do the dishes: not glamorous, ut remind kids about the importance of cleaning up after eating, including wiping down counters and closing packages ightly so food bits attract critters. (Otherwise, be unlikely to want to cook again too soon!) Aviva Goldfarb is a family dinner expert and founder and chief executive of The Six Scramble, an online healthy meal planner. See her basic recipes and techniques on YouTube Seven cooking skills to master before college AVIVA GOLDFARB THE WASHINGTON POST COURTESY OF AVIVA GOLDFARB The son, Solomon, was among the more kitchen-savvy boys in his crowd.

Autumn might be the official season the one-pot wonder. Kids are back in chool, the office watercooler gets rowded as we trickle back from sum- er vacations, and suddenly dinnertime feels like more of a time-squeeze. usy lives need quick meals that equire a ton of prep, crazy ingredients or lots of dishes because the last thing I want to do after a long day of work, kids a ctivities and homework-checking is a counter loaded up with dishes. aked dinners are a classic week- ight solution, but how to make one that i healthy, flavorful, and easy? This basic hicken and potato bake is so simple, you ight breeze right past the recipe. ut the trick is: lots of lemon juice.

alf a cup sounds like a ton, but what makes the chicken super flavorful in just minutes. The high acid level gets right i nto the chicken and tenderizes it, and et as it bakes, the acid mellows and soft- ns into a gorgeous gentle tang. The sec- ond trick to this dinner-in-a-pan is a sup er quick turn in the microwave for ome baby potatoes (Note: you can cube up larger potatoes if you have tiny ones). I using boneless skinless chicken reast, but you can use pork chops (bone- i recommended) or even fish. My week- night strategy: pop this pan into the oven, toss together a green salad, and set the table while the chicken cooks.

Easy, healthy, and even comforting in a fall- ight sort of way. ood Network star Melissa i an expert on healthy eating on a bud- et. She is the author of the cookbook Lemon juice makes a chicken and potato bake a breeze MELISSA ASSOCIATED PRESS AP This dish of baked chicken with potatoes is rom a recipe by Melissa BAKED CHICKEN AND POT ATO DINNER Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 4 1 2 cup lemon juice 3tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, or 1garlic clove, inced 1pound fingerling potatoes, cleaned 1 1 2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, rimmed 1 red onion, sliced lengthwise 1 2 cup small cherry tomatoes or grape toma- oes lemon wedges, for garnish 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme salt and pepper Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, granulated garlic and salt and pepper. Pierce each potato a couple of times with a fork (to allow steam to scape), and place the potatoes in a medium microwave-safe bowl and toss with 1tablespoon the lemon juice mixture.

Cover with a lid slightly askew to allow steam to escape, and icrowave on high until potatoes begin to soften, about 4 minutes. eanwhile, place the chicken breasts, onion and tomatoes in the lemon juice mixture and toss to oat. Let sit for a few minutes. Spray an oven-safe baking pan with nonstick pray. Pour the potatoes on the bottom of the baking sheet.

Pour the chicken, onions, tomatoes a nd remaining marinade on top of the potatoes. ake until chicken is cooked through and otatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle ith fresh thyme and serve with a green salad. Nutrition information per serving: 401calories; 131 alories from fat; 15 fat (2 saturated; 0 trans fats); 1 24 mg cholesterol; 326 mg sodium; 25 carbohydrate; 2 fiber; 3 sugar; 41g protein..