Buffalo

Wings

case file: 2.11

On this EpISode of Throwdown!.. .

I headed to Buffalo, New York, birthplace of the buffalo chicken wing,

to take on Wing King Drew

Drew Cerza is the founder of the National Buffalo Wing Festival, the
Super Bowl of
the wing industry, where more than half a million people from across
the country have sampled
more than 100 different varieties of wings . . . oh yeah, thats over
1 million wings. Along the way,
Drews festival has raised over $100,000 for Buffalo -area charitie
s. He deserves his crown.
Always thrilled to help promote his hometown and its
wings, Drew happily agreed to be a part of a
special highlighting the countrys best spicy
foods, Food Networks Hall of Flame. He
planned a party at the historic Anchor Bar in
Cerza.

Buffalo for his segment and had no idea that

I would be heating things up with a surprise
of my own.

It was Take Your Daughter to Work

Day, which my twelve -year-old,
Nicole, and I have partic ipated in for
years. So that day Nicole was by my
side and a big part of the show. It
was a very specia l bondin g moment
for us. And she became a supers tar
to her friend s in school when the
show came out.
Dre w Cerza
Name: Drew Cerza
Hometow n: Buffalo, New
York
Website : ww w.buffa low
ing.com
Phone: (716) 565 4141,
ext. 12

89

Dave Botticelli of Duffs Famous Wings in

Amherst, New York, and Syracuse student and
chickenwing lover Greg Bacorn sat down to
ivity.
judge our wings on flavor, texture, and creat
e
subtl
a
with
juicy
and
hy,
crunc
,
crispy
Mine were
my
heat that built with time. But they didnt love
presentation and found the jicama a little
a
confusing. Drews wings were moist and had
two
had
wings
These
.
flavor
ced
smooth, balan
hard
totally different tastes and the judges had a
gave
they
end,
the
time deciding on a winner. In
Drew the win, saying his wings were juicier and
loving his sauce and celer y sticks.
When you go up against someone referred to
that
as the Wing King, there is always a chance
truly
is
Drew
But
did.
I
And
you just might lose.
one of the nicest and probably one of the most
respectful competitors that I have gone up
against. Hats off to the Wing King.

Bu ffa l o W ing s

The key to good chicken wings is not to

overcook them ; the texture should be nice and
crispy on the outside with a perfectly cooked,
juicy interior. They need heat just the right
for
amount of burn and a touch of sweetness
tions
varia
wing
of
balance. Drew has hundreds
this
up his sleeve, and the one he brings out for
s.
Wing
lo
Buffa
t
Stree
on
Bourb
his
is
ion
occas
The sweet and tangy sauce is made with chili
sauce, ancho chile, barbecue sauce, and
it
bourbon. I had to get my own wing down, so
en.
kitch
test
the
to
was off
In the test kitchen, I sprinkled my wings with
salt and pepper and then dredged them in
ancho -seasoned flour before their bath in the
deep -fryer. Everyone knows that the key to hot
:
wings is the hot sauce, so I set to work on mine
ar,
vineg
er,
powd
ancho
chipotle, mustard, more
and a little honey to cut the acidity. The hot
,
sauce is added to melted butter, and the wings
re.
mixtu
hot out of the fryer, are tossed in the
The classic dip is typically a mixture of
mayonnaise, sour cream, and a domestic blue
d
cheese. My dip is a riff on that, made instea
d
grate
little
a
with thick and tangy Greek yogurt,
e,
chees
blue
ite
favor
my
red onion, cilantro, and
in
a Spanish Cabrales. Crisp jicama sticks stand
y.
for celer
Recipe in hand, I went up to Buffalo to find
Drew. Now, this challenge was in the early days
of Throwdown ! when many people werent
familiar with the show, and I definitely threw
to
Drew for a loop. It took him a few moments
after
But
on.
going
was
get his head around what
s,
friend
with
ns
ltatio
consu
and
a few phone calls
n
bega
We
!
battle
to
ready
and
board
on
he was
to
working on our dishes and Drew came over
liked
He
elf.
hims
for
s
check out my ingredient
my combination of sweet and heat, calling the
mustard a nice addition. Once the wings were
cooked and sauced, we each got to try the
others wings. Drew has one word for mine :
he
awesome. He said it was the crispiest wing
is
that
and
out
dried
t
wasn
that
had
ever
had
I
But
King.
high praise coming from the Wing
have to give it to the King: his wing is perfectly
cooked and I loved its sweet sauce.

Bobby Flays
Hot Wings with Blue CheeseYogurt Sauce
Serves 4 to 6
Blue CheeseYogurt Sauce
1 cups Greek yogurt
cup crumbled blue cheese, preferably
Cabrales
2 tablespoons finely grated red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hot Wings
Canola oil, for deep-frying
bobby f l ay s

2 cups all-purpose flour

t h row dow n !

3 pounds chicken wings, split at the joint, wing

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoons garlic powder
tips removed and discarded
cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons pureed chipotle chile in adobo
teaspoon chile de rbol powder or cayenne
pepper

90

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 to 2 tablespoons honey, to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
leaves
Jicama sticks, for serving

1. To make the sauce, stir together the yogurt,

blue cheese, red onion, cilantro, and salt and
pepper to taste in a bowl. Refrigerate for at
least 30 minutes before serving.
2. To cook the wings, heat 2 inches of canola
oil in a large deep pot until it reaches 365F
on a deep-frying thermometer.
3. Stir the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon
pepper, 1 tablespoon of the ancho powder, and
the garlic powder together in a large shallow
bowl. Season the wings with salt and pepper,
and add the wings, in batches, to the flour
mixture to lightly coat; tap off any excess flour.
Add the wings, in batches, to the hot oil and
cook until golden brown and cooked through,
8 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon
and place on a plate lined with paper towels to
drain for a few minutes; then transfer to a
large bowl.
4. Whisk the vinegar, chipotle puree, remaining 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder, chile de
rbol powder, and mustard together in a small
bowl.
5. Melt the butter in a large saut pan over low
heat. Add the vinegar mixture, bring to a
simmer, and cook for 30 seconds. Season with
salt, pepper, and honey to taste. Pour the
sauce over the wings and toss well to coat.
Transfer the wings to a platter and sprinkle
with the cilantro. Serve with jicama sticks and
the blue cheese sauce on the side.

WINNER!
Drew Cerzas
Bourbon Street Buffalo Wings
Serves 8 to 10
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
cup bourbon, plus more for serving
cup firmly packed light brown sugar
cup honey
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce
Texas Pete or Franks
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
3 pounds chicken wings, split at the joint, wing
tips removed and discarded
Kosher salt
Prepared blue cheese dressing, for serving

Bu ffa l o W ing s

cup prepared buffalo wing sauce, such as

93

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over

medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and
cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and
fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the bourbon,
brown sugar, and honey and heat through,
2 minutes.
2. Whisk in the ancho chile powder, chili
sauce, barbecue sauce, and wing sauce. Bring
to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for
2 minutes. Keep warm while you fry the wings.
3. Heat 4 inches of oil to 350F in a deep
heavy-bottomed saucepan or a deep-fryer.
4. Season the chicken wings with salt. Fry, in
batches, until golden brown on both sides and
cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove
the wings from the oil and drain on a platter
lined with paper towels.
5. Put the wings in a large mixing bowl, add
the sauce, and toss well to coat. Serve
with blue cheese dressing and half shots of
bourbon, on the side, for adults to sip.

Ice Pops

On this EpISode of Throwdown!.. .

I headed to Nashville, Tennessee, to learn about the world of paletas

(thats ice pops in Spanish)
and to see them made by the masters, Norma and Irma Paz.
Sisters Norma and Irma grew up
in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, where ice pops are a part of the
daily diet. Not your standard
popsicle, these ice pops arent fruit flavored, they are fruit! The outstan
ding local produce is
blended and frozen into flavor-packed, refreshingly cool icy treats,
perfect for the hot climate.
Watching the Nashville marathon a few years back, Norma and Irma
thought back to their
childhood days and realized how perfect those healthy ice pops would
be to cool down the
exhausted runners. Why not introduce their favorite childhood treat
to the residents of Nashville?
Before Norma and Irma could bring their ice pops
stateside, theyd have to learn how to make them.
Finding a paleta mentor wasnt easy, as women

case file: 4.2

making ice pops was practically unheard of in

their native Guadalajara. But they persevered and
finally found the right person who was willing to
pass on the technique to them. And now
Las Paletas has more than a hundred fantastic
ice pop flavors. The one Ill have to face? A
super-fresh pineapple, lime, salt, and chile pop.

Na mes: Norm
a and Ir ma
Pa z
Establ ishm
ent: Las Pa
letas Gour m
et Popsicles
Homet ow n:
Nashvi lle, Te
nnessee
Website : w w
w.wherest he
sign.com
Phone: (615
) 386-2101

My mission was to come up with a unique ice

pop flavor, so I paid a visit to pastr y chef Sam
gave
Mason. A mad scientist of the kitchen, Sam
ve
achie
to
how
on
n
lesso
istry
chem
quick
me a
pops.
ice
my
the proper consistency and flavor in
Armed with my new information, I went to the
red
test kitchen and got to work. I decided on a
to
akin
thing
some
pop,
te
grana
pome
wine
frozen sangria, made from reduced red wine,
.
fruit, and pomegranate, orange, and grape juices
add
syrup
corn
and
syrup
le
Concentrated simp
y,
sweetness and do wonders for the consistenc
ing,
freez
e
keeping it smooth and creamy. Befor
every thing gets refrigerated for the flavors to
meld.

Ice Pops

It was ice pop weather when we arrived in

as.
Nashville, just minutes away from Las Palet
but
ised,
surpr
letely
comp
were
Irma
and
a
Norm
in;
d
kicke
ly
diate
their southern hospitality imme
.
hope
I
ones,
ppy
ha
tears
they even shed a few
tapale
st
almo
was
n
ipatio
antic
The crowds
the
able. I was flat-out shocked when some of
have
I
when
know
crowd preferred my ice pops ; I
it.
tting
admi
em
probl
no
been outdone and have
and
ville,
Nash
Food
Slow
of
ll,
Robin Ridde
e,
Carrington Fox, food critic for Nashville Scen
ll
overa
their
set out to judge our ice pops on
tart
taste, texture, and appearance. The liked the
wine
nice
its
and
mine
to
finish
t
start and swee
flavor, but Norma and Irmas ice pop got an
immediate Wow ! Its salty, spicy notes were
totally unexpected. The both loved the pulpy
texture of the pineapple and its great fresh
pineapple taste. Las Paletas took the win.
a
The right ice pop won this Throwdown. Norm
some
that
ive
posit
proof
and Irmas pops are
times the simplest things are the best. Their
flavor
smooth, creamy texture and incredible fruit
.
eaten
is unlike any popsicle I have ever

135

Bobby Flays
Sangria Ice Pops
Makes 10 to 12 popsicles
1 (750-ml) bottle fruity red wine
1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 large ripe pear, cored and chopped
2 plums, pitted and chopped
1 orange, chopped (with skin on)
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
cup fresh orange juice
cup red grape juice
cup Simple Syrup (see page 000)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
bobby f l ay s

1. Combine the wine, apple, pear, plums, and

orange in a large saucepan and boil over high
heat until the wine is reduced by half, about
12 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl or pitcher.
Stir in the pomegranate, orange, and grape
juices, the simple syrup, and the corn syrup.
Cool to room temperature. Then cover and
refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to
2 days. (The longer it sits, the more flavor it
will have.)
2. Place the pop molds in the freezer 1 hour
before filling.
3. Strain the mixture into a bowl or pitcher and
fill the ice pop molds, leaving a little room at
the top. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.
4. Dip the molds in lukewarm water to loosen
the ice pops, and then pull them out.

t h row down !

136

WINNER!
Norma and Irma Pazs
Pineapple-Chile Ice Pops
Makes 10 popsicles
1 medium ripe pineapple, peeled and cored
cup fresh lime juice
4 pinches fine salt
2 cups sugar
10 pinches chile de rbol powder or cayenne
pepper, or to taste

1. Puree the pineapple with an immersion

blender or in a food processor, but keep
some texture to it. Stir in the lime juice, salt,
and sugar by hand until dissolved. Add the
chile powder. Fill 3-ounce molds and freeze the
popsicles for least 24 hours and up to 2 days.
2. Dip the molds in lukewarm water to loosen
the ice pops, and then pull them out.

Ice Pops

137

Pulled Pork

On this EpISode of Throwdown!.. .

I was down in the woods of Virginia to take on decorated pitmaster

Lee Ann Whippen and her
pulled pork sandwich.
Lee Ann Whippen worked in hotel catering for fifteen years while
perfecting her killer dry rub on the state barbecue championship circuit,
including earning an
almost unheard -of perfect 180 score in competition. She won the
Georgia State Championship in
1996, and her pork took first place in the prestigious American Royal
National Championship. Lee
Ann had enough wins under her belt by 2002 to leave hotels behind
and start up her own catering
and competition team called Wood Chicks BBQ, which was soon followed
by a restaurant.
Lee Ann has a few rules for her fantastic pulled pork. First, she treats
her bone-in pork butt (FYI,
the butt actually comes from the shoulder of the pig) to a dry rub
before smoking it over a
combination of fruit and hickory woods that have
been aged for a minimum of 3 months. Her

case file: 4.10

flavorful, slightly spicy sauce keeps the pork

moist. This award-winning combination has won
Lee Ann a spot stoking the fires under her own
Food Network special called Grillin Gals.
Or so she thinks.
I was just glad I cooked the butts all
night long not knowi ng Bobby was
comin g, because when he showe d up
they were done. I had no time to be
nervou s because at that point they
were going to be what they were going
to be . . . thank goodness smoky,
flavor ful, and oh soooo tender !
Lee Ann Whipp en
Na me: Lee
A nn W hipp
en
Establ ishm
ent: Wood Ch
icks BBQ
Homet ow n:
Chesapea ke
, Vi rg in ia
Website : w w
w.woodchick
sbbq.com
Phone: (757
) 549-9290

The crowd was pretty much on Lee Anns side;

I
her talent and expertise just cant be denied.
to
up
all
was
it
but
,
battle
this
win
to
d
wante
still
,
taste
on
s
the judges. They ranked our entrie
texture, and smokiness of the meat. Lee Anns
but
sandwich was up first and they had nothing
great
ture,
mois
of
y
plent
,
taste
good
e:
prais
texture, and lots of fantastic smoke flavor. They
moved on to mine and noted its unusual spice
,
and lots of pepper flavor. It was definitely good
was
ich
sandw
my
said
s
judge
The
ent.
differ
but
they
really tasty but just not spiced the way that
They
t.
circui
cue
barbe
were used to on the
er
announced their winner and Lee Ann had anoth
tion.
collec
her
to
add
to
n
ribbo
blue
I would qualify myself as a barbecue enthu siast, and Lee Annwell, shes a barbecue
champion. I honestly think her pulled pork
the
sandwich might be the best I have ever had
pleasure to eat.

Pu l l ed Por k

163

Back at the test kitchen, we seasoned our

bone -in butt with my Mesa Grill spice rub, which
contains, among other things, chile powders,
cumin, and coriander, and then gave it a quick
y
sear on the stovetop to ensure a great crust
rs,
indoo
er
smok
a
use
exterior. Since we couldnt
a
in
stock
en
chick
in
butt
-in
bone
we braised our
up
made
I
ed,
brais
it
While
.
hours
4
for
low oven
a fresh red cabbage slaw tossed in a spicy green
onion mayonnaisebased dressing and got to
work on a mustard-based sauce with rice
d
vinegar, black pepper, and honey. The cooke
and
s
pork was shredded into bite-size piece
dressed with the mustard sauce. We piled that

on a soft bun with the slaw and took a taste

e,
smok
l
actua
some
was
ed
need
we
All
ct.
perfe
.
which we would get at the Throwdown
We went to Virginia the night before the
I
Throwdown to start our pork so that by the time
been
dy
alrea
had
it
Ann,
Lee
on
in
d
buste
smoking for about 10 hours. My arrival and
challenge left Lee Ann overwhelmed with
emotion, but this seasoned pitmaster pulled
herself together and before you knew it, her
to go.
game face was back on and she was ready
pork
her
wow
and
I tried Lee Anns sandwich
was perfectly smoked and moist, and every
to
component, from the well-seasoned coleslaw
was
,
spice
of
nt
the sauce with its just-right amou
incredibly flavor ful.

Lee Ann Whippens Wood Chick BBQ

Award-Winning Smoked Pork

Bobby Flays
Pulled Pork with Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce
Serves 8 to 10
1 (5- to 6-pound) pork shoulder, excess fat
trimmed

Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce

cup rice vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

cup Dijon mustard

1 cup ancho chile powder

1 tablespoon honey

cup sweet Spanish paprika

1 teaspoons kosher salt

3 tablespoons ground dried oregano

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 tablespoons ground coriander

cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chile de rbol powder
bobby f l ay s

t h row down !

164

1. Place the pork, fat side up, on a large

rimmed baking sheet. Season on both sides
with salt and pepper. Mix all the remaining
ingredients together in a small bowl, and add
1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon
black pepper. Rub this all over the pork. Cover
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least
1 hour and up to 8 hours.
2. Following the manufacturers instructions
and using lump charcoal and cup drained
soaked wood chips for a smoker or 1 cup for a
grill, start a fire and bring the temperature of
the smoker to 225 to 250F.
3. Set the pork on a rack in the smoker. Cover
and cook, turning the pork every 45 minutes,
until a meat thermometer inserted into the
center of the pork registers 165F, about
6 hours. Add more charcoal as needed to
maintain the temperature and more drained
wood chips to maintain the smoke level.
4. Transfer the pork to a clean rimmed baking
sheet, and let stand until cool enough to
handle. Then shred the meat into bite-size
pieces. Mound them on a platter and drizzle
with some of the Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce.
Pour any accumulated juices from the baking
sheet over the pork.
Note
Serve the pork topped with coleslaw on a
hamburger bun

Combine the vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and

pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.
With the motor running, slowly add the oil until
emulsified.

WINNER!
Lee Ann Whippens
Wood Chicks BBQ
Award-Winning Smoked Pork
Serves 12
1 (6- to 7-pound) bone-in Boston butt pork
shoulder, with -inch fat cap
Wood Chicks BBQ Championship BBQ Rub
(recipe follows)
6 to 8 cups apple juice, for the roasting pan and
for spraying
3 to 4 cups Wood Chicks Mild BBQ Sauce or
your favorite barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
cup chili powder
1 tablespoons sweet Spanish paprika
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon taco spice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 teaspoon ground coriander
8 teaspoon ground cumin
cup granulated sugar
Combine the salt and brown sugar in a food
processor or blender, and process until well
blended. Add all the remaining ingredients
except the granulated sugar, and process until
blended. Then add the granulated sugar and
process until the ingredients are evenly
distributed.
Note
Serve the pork topped with coleslaw on a
hamburger bun

165

8 teaspoon curry powder

Pu l l ed Por k

1. The night before you roast the pork, coat it

heavily with the dry rub. Wrap in plastic wrap
or place in a plastic bag, and refrigerate
overnight.
2. Remove the pork from the refrigerator
2 hours prior to cooking.
3. Preheat the oven to 250F.
4. Put the pork butt, fat side up, in a roasting
pan with enough apple juice to cover the
bottom of the pan. Cook in the oven until the
exterior of the pork is mahogany colored,
about 4 hours, adding more apple juice as
needed. If the exterior is drying out, spray the
pork with apple juice.
5. Carefully transfer the pork to long pieces of
double-layered heavy-duty foil. Pull up the
sides of the foil, add cup apple juice to the
foil, and wrap so its as airtight as possible.
Return to the oven and cook until the internal
temperature of the pork is 190 to 195F, 4 to
5 hours.
6. Unwrap, let cool slightly, and pull the pork
to the desired consistency.

Wood Chicks BBQ

Championship BBQ Rub

Country
Captain Chicken
On this EpISode of Throwdown!.. .
We traveled up and down the Eastern Seaboard looking for the mysteri

case file: 1.1

Captain, a stew made with chicken, vegetables, tomatoes, and curry

ous dish called Country

powder. When made

properly, it is the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

Charleston, South Carolina, natives
Matt and Ted Lee are food writers for publications such as Travel +
Leisure, Food & Wine, GQ, and
the New York Times as well as the proprietors of the Lee Bros. Boiled
Peanuts Catalogue, your
online stop for hard-to-find southern ingredients. Oh, and they also
happen to have written two
acclaimed cookbookswow. These food-loving brothers are fiercely
dedicated to preserving the
foodways of the American South.
Matt and Ted thought that
they were going to be featured on a Food Network
special called Low Country Lowdown. Its focus
would have been right up their allyshining a light
on down-home dishes that only real southerners

know. My mission : get the lowdown on Matt and

Teds authentic country captain and cook up my
own pot of this country staple.
Our Throwdown with Bobby was
definit ely the most fun weve ever
had cookin g. We were confident about
our recipe and the little tweak s we
do to amp up the flavor, like
render ing countr y ham and bacon
together. But Bobbys dish looked
so elegant, and his flavor s were
spot-on. His coconut rice was an
especi ally genius touch. So we were
scared right up until the judges
decision.
Matt Lee

Na mes: Matt an
d Ted Lee
Hometow n: Ch
arleston, Sout
h Ca rolin a, an
d
New York, New
York
Website : ww w.
boiledpea nuts.
com

Matt and Ted Lee with my Throwdown challenge

on the Hudson, we got down to some serious
cooking and eating. Judges Hunter Lewis, the test
kitchen director of Saveur magazine, and chef,
restaurateur, and Low Country cooking expert
Alexander Smalls came in to rate our dishes on
their taste, authenticity, and balance of flavor.
My country captain was up first. Hunter and
Alexander loved the sweet flavor of the rice but
felt it could have been fluffier. They said my
chicken was perfectly cooked and the sauce
full-flavored. They moved on to Matt and Teds
dish, saying they got more curry flavor and heat.
They liked the chunkier texture of their sauce but
felt it could have been a little thinner in
consistency. The judges really liked both of our
dishes but felt the balance of flavor and the
authenticity of the dish was better represented in
Matt and Teds version, awarding the win to the
brothers. Matt and Ted have been friends of mine
for years and are excellent cooks. I wouldnt have
expected them to bring anything but their A
game to this competitionand they did. Their
country captain was amazing.

Cou n t ry Ca p ta in Ch ick en

To find out just what country captain was, I

turned to Marvin Woods, a serious Low Country
cuisine expert. He told me its a stewed chicken
dish with curry. Why curry? The dish was created
by the folks who settled in the CharlestonSavannah area, among them people of Indian,
Asian, and French descent. Country captain is a
reflection of the amazing convergence of tastes in
that area.
I headed to the test kitchen, where my strategy
was to make my own curry powder blend. Because
country captain is a southern classic, there has to
be a pork product in it, and I opted for bacon for a
smoky flavor. I added onions, red bell peppers,
raisins (which I later swapped out for currants) for
sweetness, and toasted almonds for crunch. Like
a lot of curry recipes, coconut is often used as an
accoutrement to finish off the dish. I decided to
incorporate that coconut flavor into the rice that is
always served with this dish to absorb the flavor
of the stew. I went with chicken thighs, which
would remain tender when stewed (they really do
have to be skinless, as the skin tends to turn
flabby when braised).
I was off to the Throwdown with my three Cs:
coconut, curry, and currants. After blindsiding

239

Bobby Flays
Country Captain Chicken
Serves 4
6 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
1 medium Spanish onion, halved and thinly
sliced
1 large red bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
serrano chile, finely diced
1 heaping tablespoon Curry Mix (recipe follows)
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups homemade chicken stock (see
page 000)
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained well
and coarsely chopped
Scant cup dried currants
1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons honey, or more if needed
cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Cook the bacon in a large, deep ovenproof
saut pan over medium-high heat until golden
brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon
to a plate lined with paper towels.
3. Add the butter and oil to the rendered
bacon fat in the pan, and heat over high heat,
until it begins to shimmer.
4. Meanwhile, put the flour in a shallow bowl
and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and
pepper, dredge in the flour, and tap off any
excess. Add the chicken to the saut pan and
sear on both sides until golden brown. Remove
to about 4 minutes per side plate.

Curry Mix
3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground fennel
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground chile de rbol
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the spices in a small bowl and mix
together thoroughly.
Note
Serve with white rice cooked in coconut milk
and garnished with sliced green onion, if
desired.

241

leaves, plus more for garnish

Slivered almonds, lightly toasted and chopped,

Cou n t ry Ca p ta in Ch ick en

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

5. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan,

season with salt and pepper, and cook until
soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the
serrano chile, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the
curry mix and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine
and boil until reduced by three-quarters. Add
the chicken stock, bring to a simmer, and boil
for a few minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in the
tomatoes, currants, thyme, and honey, season
with a little salt and pepper, and bring to a
simmer.
6. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pan, and
cover it with a tight-fitting lid. Braise in the
oven for 35 minutes. Remove the lid, return
the pan to the oven, and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the chicken to a platter and tent
loosely with foil to keep warm. Place the saut
pan on the stove over high heat, and bring the
sauce to a boil. Cook for a few minutes to
reduce slightly. Then season with salt, pepper,
and honey if needed, and stir in the parsley.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and top with
the bacon, almonds, and more parsley.

WINNER!
The Lee Bros.
Country Captain
Serves 4
cup homemade chicken stock (see page 000)
or canned low-sodium chicken broth
cup dried currants or raisins
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces slab bacon or fatty country ham,
bobby f l ay s

chopped
12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Canola oil, if needed
1 large dried chile, such as guajillo or pasilla,

t h row dow n !

split and seeded

2 cups thickly sliced carrots (1-inch pieces)
2 cups diced yellow bell peppers
2 cups diced onion
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

242

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

4 cups cooked white rice, hot
cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Pour the stock into a small saucepan and
bring to a boil over high heat. Put the currants
in a small heatproof bowl and pour the hot
broth over them. Set aside to plump.
3. In another small bowl, combine the curry
powder, garam masala, 1 teaspoons salt,
and teaspoon black pepper.
4. Scatter the bacon in a 4- to 6-quart enameled cast-iron pot or Dutch oven set over
medium-high heat. Stir the pieces around
occasionally until the bacon is firm and just
golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted
spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl.

5. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in

the pot, reserving the excess fat in a small
bowl. Brown the chicken thighs, in batches,
over medium-high heat, taking care not to
crowd them in the pot, until they are golden
brown, about 5 minutes per side. If the pot
becomes too dry, add a little of the reserved
bacon fat, 1 teaspoon at a time. Remove the
chicken to a medium bowl.
6. Add 2 teaspoons of the reserved bacon fat
to the pot (if there is none left, use canola oil).
Add the chile and toast until very fragrant,
about 30 seconds per side. Add the carrots,
bell peppers, onions, and garlic, and cook until
slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Add the
tomatoes, curry powder mixture, ginger, and
the currants and their broth. Reduce the heat
to medium-low and simmer until the tomatoes
have cooked down to a puree and the sauce
has thickened around the vegetables, about
8 minutes.
7. Nestle the chicken thighs gently in the
sauce so that the skin side faces up and is
above the surface of the sauce. Tent the pot
loosely with foil and transfer it to the middle
rack of the oven. Bake until the country
captain resembles a roiling stew around the
chicken thighs, about 20 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and bake until the sauce
has thickened further and the chicken skin is
just beginning to crisp, about 15 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven, skim any excess fat
from the surface, and season to taste with salt
and pepper. Discard the chile.
10. Spoon 1 cup hot white rice into each of
4 wide, deep bowl. Use tongs to arrange
3 thighs on top. Spoon the sauce over the
chicken and rice, and garnish with the reserved
bacon, almonds, and parsley.

WINNER!
Bobby Flays
Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Crunch
and Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream
Makes 1 (10-inch) pie
Cinnamon Crunch

Filling

cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

cup quick-cooking rolled oats

3 large egg yolks

cup light muscovado sugar

cup dark muscovado sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

cup granulated sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small

2 tablespoons molasses

cubes, cold

1 cups canned pumpkin puree

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for
the top

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon ground ginger

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

teaspoon ground nutmeg

8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

teaspoon ground cloves

1 large egg, lightly beaten

teaspoon fine salt

Pu m pk i n Pie

Crust

1 cup heavy cream

vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
out and reserved, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream (recipe follows),
for serving
(recipe continues)

265

cup whole milk

Michele Albanos
Maple Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Pie Crust
1 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
teaspoon fine salt
cup solid vegetable shortening, very cold
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for brushing
Pecan Streusel
cup pecans, toasted and chopped
cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, cold
Filling
2 cups pumpkin puree, preferably fresh
cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
teaspoon ground nutmeg
teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon fine salt
1 cups heavy cream
3 large eggs, beaten

1. To make the crust, combine the flour and

salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Break up
the shortening and toss it with the flour
mixture to coat. Using a pastry blender or your
fingertips, mix the ingredients together until
the dough forms coarse crumbs. Add 3 to
4 tablespoons ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at
a time, until the dough easily forms a ball that
can hold itself together. Cover in plastic wrap
and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and as
long as overnight.
2. While the dough is resting, make the
streusel: Toss the pecans with the brown
sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Add the butter, and using a pastry blender or
your fingertips, work in until you have small
clumps. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 425F.
4. Sprinkle flour generously over a hard
surface and roll the dough out with a rolling
pin until it forms an 11-inch round. Fold the
round in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate, and
then unfold the dough to completely cover the
pie plate with a bit of an overhang. Tuck the
overhang under to make a double-thick rim,
and then use your fingers to crimp the edges
of the pie shell. Brush the heavy cream over
the crimped edges, and refrigerate until the
filling is complete.
5. To make the filling, mix the pumpkin, flour,
brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt
together with an electric mixer on medium
speed until smooth, scraping the sides of the
bowl well. Add the heavy cream and maple
syrup, scraping the bowl several times while
mixing. Mix in the beaten eggs.
(recipe continues)

267

1 cup Grade B maple syrup

serving

Pu m pk i n Pie

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Maple Whipped Cream (recipe follows), for