Notes from the Test Kitchen: Recipe development
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
For this week’s cooking story, Pack it up! It’s time for a Fourth of July picnic, Test Kitchen director Donna Deane worked with the editors to come up with smart updates to classic picnic dishes. Her recipes for double-dipped fried chicken, a versatile coleslaw recipe, and shamelessly rich orange brownie bites are fresh takes on iconic picnic items, and the dishes were a hit. Each test batch disappeared in minutes, and the recipes we made for the photo shoot practically had to be locked away — the brownies especially — just so they’d last for their camera close-ups.
Since Donna and I tend to get a lot of questions about how we come up with original recipes and the inspiration behind them, I thought I’d ask Donna about each of the recipes, so she could explain firsthand how each went from inspiration to actual dish.
How did you come up with your method for fried chicken, and what about the brining and double-dipping for the batter? I decided to brine the chicken because many times fried chicken is overcooked and dry. A good brine with herbs and garlic will add flavor throughout the meat and keep the chicken moist. Double-dipping adds crunch to the fried chicken; it makes for chicken that will stay crisp even when fried ahead and chilled before serving.
We’ve gotten so many requests for coleslaw lately; what made you decide to go the route you did in developing your recipe? After talking with the editors about the recipe, we decided to go with several cabbages to give color and texture variations — one basic recipe with variations. A vinaigrette is a must for a picnic, so I decided to do one with cilantro and tarragon to give a flavor twist on the traditional recipe, along with an Asian-inspired coleslaw, and one with pickling spices for a twist on flavors.
The brownies are wonderful, and it’s hard to eat just one. What inspired you to go with an orange pairing, and how did you get them to be that moist? The moist consistency comes from a lot of butter, and not overbaking. I wanted to make a very dense chocolate brownie, so I used two types of chocolate, along with the cocoa. I suggested using Grand Marnier and grated orange peel to give them a more unusual flavor from the traditional brownie. My inspiration came from the wonderful Grand Marnier truffles that you pick up at most chocolate shops. It’s a favorite flavor combination of mine.
We hope you like the dishes as much as we did. We’d love to hear your thoughts on these recipes. Happy Fourth of July!
— Noelle Carter
Photos by Robert Lachman
