Comments on: Lemon-Brined Fried Chicken for Hannukah

By: Baroness Tapuzina

Baroness Tapuzina — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:51:36 +0000

Hi Faye,

Thanks for commenting on the blog. I wonder if the Hungarian Jews did the same thing. I will have to research it because I have seen kosher porkolt recipes just using beef, but the regular recipes are made with chicken, beef or pork.

I will have to try using soy milk without Mr BT knowing it.

By: Faye

Faye — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:29:25 +0000

This recipe sounds delicious. I agree that kosher versions of recipes should also be considered authentic. To keep things clear, many simply change the name of the dish slightly. In France, for example, the Jews of Alsace have long made sauerkraut with beef instead of pork, and people might refer to it as “choucroute garnie a la juive” or “Jewish sauerkraut.”

I agree completely that kosher chickens need less salt. Sometimes I roast them without adding any salt at all and the result still is quite salty.

I find soy milk works as a dairy substitute even in savory recipes if it has the same number of grams of sugar per liter as milk (and of course no vanilla!). Maybe soy milk and lemon juice would be good.

By: Baroness Tapuzina

Baroness Tapuzina — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:07:59 +0000

I didn’t know rugalach was made with chocolate. The first time I had it with chocolate was here in Israel. I had it with a nuts and apricot jam.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:49:02 +0000

people take food very personally and its not something, like you mentioned, you
can argue about. In a cooking class learning how to make rugalach, one of the students
told the chef that her Hungarian mother made it with apricots and not chocolate. His
answer to that was “it’s not rugalach”. My answer is “it’s not the authentic version- it’s better!”

By: Baroness Tapuzina

Baroness Tapuzina — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:36:20 +0000

Hi Lawmann,

I am glad you are enjoying the blog. It is always nice to receive comments and suggestions. I
will try that next time. I don’t know why I didn’t think of using an egg. I do it when I make
schnitzel.

By: Baroness Tapuzina

Baroness Tapuzina — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:34:08 +0000

Hi Rebecca,

It is so nice to hear from you. I think that would work just fine. I wish I lived near you so I could make you some fried chicken.

Stay well and know that you have many prayers coming your way from Israel

By: lawmann

lawmann — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:07:28 +0000

I am a recent subscriber to your blog and am really enjoying it. I totally identify with your dilemma with regard to recipe adaptation for reasons of kashrut.

Regarding this chicken recipe, it looks great. I note you said next time you’d dip twice (sounds like Pesach, no?). But then I have a couple of questions/suggestions: When I want crisp fried chicken I usually air dry the chicken on a rack in the refrigerator overnight. Why not (1) try air drying after the brine and (2) use a beaten egg instead of water for your coating (dredge in the flour, dip in a beaten egg and then dredge again)?

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:53:35 +0000

This recipe sounds great! I am going to try it in the spring, when we are going to have some chicken. I am going to change your tweaked version even further due to Kiddle issues- we will substitute 1/4 teaspoon chili powder and 2 teaspoons of ground cumin for the peppercorns and cayenne. Exactitude and authenticity are fine ideals to strive for regarding medications, electronics or brakes for your car- but I find them to be often needless and pompous when it comes to home cooking!