Bobby Flay's Throwdown! (10 page)

1.
Heat a griddle over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the canola oil and heat it. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Do not brown the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the griddle. Add the steak, spreading it out and moving it around frequently. When there isn’t any red in the meat, season with salt and pepper. The steak will be cooked but not browned.

3.
If using American cheese, put it on top of the meat, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the cheese melts. If using Whiz, spread it on the insides of your rolls. With a spatula, take your steak and carefully place it in the rolls. Top it with the onion, and enjoy.

Name: Jasper Alexander
Establishment: Hattie’s Restaurant
Hometown: Saratoga Springs, New York
Website:
www.hattlesrestaurant.com
Phone: (518) 584-4790

I was winging it against Jasper Alexander in a Throwdown that brought me to New York State’s horse-racing hotspot, Saratoga.

Jasper first fell in love with cooking while in college on the West Coast. After fronting a one-man catering endeavor, he went east to attend the celebrated Culinary Institute of America. From there, he spent time in the kitchen of three of the most highly esteemed New York City restaurants: Gotham Bar and Grill, Gramercy Tavern, and Aureole. These are swanky places, but it was at Hattie’s where Jasper found his home.

It’s been seven years since executive chef Jasper Alexander took over the reins of Hattie’s restaurant, but Hattie’s history stretches back far longer than that. Louisiana born and raised Hattie first came to Saratoga as a cook for a Chicago family who spent their summers in cool upstate New York. That job gave her the means to open her eponymous restaurant in 1938. Her legendary southern cuisine made the restaurant a Saratoga landmark famous for its delectable fried chicken. Jasper has put a few spins on Hattie’s seventy-year-old recipe since he jumped in the saddle, but much has remained the same—namely, the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients from local farmers. It’s just as Hattie wanted it: fresh from the farm, straight to the plate. Salt and black pepper season Hattie’s—now Jasper’s—fried chicken while a single dipping in straight flour creates its light and crispy crust. Befitting his equine haven of a location, Jasper thought that he—and his restaurant, Hattie’s—was throwing a racetrack reception for Food Network’s winning circle.

When it comes to the perfect fried chicken, Jasper and I agree on a couple of key factors: the importance of fresh and well-seasoned chicken pieces, and oil that is heated to (and maintained at) just the right temperature. But as Stephanie and Miriam discovered in the test kitchen, that’s where our similarities end. I tenderize my chicken in a tangy bath of buttermilk laced with cayenne or hot sauce before dipping it not once, but twice in flour seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. It’s not just a crunchy crust I’m after, but layer upon layer of savory flavor. For my money, if there’s fried chicken, there’s got to be some honey somewhere, so I serve mine with a drizzle of honey mixed with Tabasco sauce.

Jasper had no problem accepting my Throwdown challenge at the Sarasota Springs racetrack. He said if he could take care of 300 covers with a few cooks and a few burners each night at Hattie’s, then this would be nothing for him.

While the crowd seemed to like my chicken, I can’t help but think they were biased toward the hometown favorite. The judges assessed our plates on the fried chicken’s crispiness, juiciness, and overall flavor. They liked Jasper’s large portion but thought that mine looked better (darker and crispier). All three judges thought that both were great and we almost tied. But in the end, they went with Jasper’s, saying it was lighter and less greasy. Miss Hattie’s chicken—now in the hands of Jasper Alexander—retained its legendary status. If you are ever in Saratoga, remember that there’s more to do than watch the races; make the time to try Miss Hattie’s Throwdown-winning fried chicken. It’s always a shoo-in.

Bobby Flay’s Fried Chicken with Tabasco Honey

SERVES 4 TO 6

1.
To prepare the chicken,
whisk together 1 quart of the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons salt, and the chile de árbol powder in a large bowl. Add the chicken, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2.
Stir the flour, garlic and onion powders, paprika, and cayenne together in a large bowl. Divide the flour mixture between 2 shallow platters and season generously with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining 2 cups buttermilk into a bowl. Drain the chicken in a colander and pat it dry. Dredge the pieces, a few at a time, in the flour mixture and pat off any excess. Then dip in the buttermilk and allow the excess to drain off. Dredge the pieces in the second plate of flour and pat off the excess. Put the chicken pieces on a baking rack set over a baking sheet and set aside while the oil heats.

3.
Pour about 3 inches of oil into a deep cast-iron skillet; the oil should not come more than halfway up the sides of the skillet. Put the skillet over medium-high heat and heat the oil to 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, add a few chicken pieces to the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a rack to drain. Serve on a platter, drizzled with Tabasco Honey and garnished with parsley.