Cook With Diante
Away from the podium, Diante is at home in the kitchen. Cook alongside him, try his recipes, and bring something good to your own table.
Recipe 01Southern Fried Chicken
Serves 4 to 6. Brine 4 hours, cook 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
Method
Stir the buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon of the salt together in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, remaining salt, and spices in a shallow dish.
Lift each piece from the buttermilk, let the excess drip off, and press it firmly into the flour. Rest the coated pieces on a rack for 15 minutes so the crust sets.
Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven to 325°F.
Fry in batches, skin side down first, turning once, 12 to 15 minutes in all, until deep golden and the thickest piece reads 165°F.
Drain on a clean rack, finish with a pinch of salt, and rest 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe 02Sunday Pot Roast
Serves 6. Prep 20 minutes, cook 3 1/2 hours.
Ingredients
3 to 4 pound chuck roast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pound carrots, cut into chunks
1 1/2 pounds small gold potatoes, halved
Method
Heat the oven to 300°F. Pat the roast dry and season it all over with the salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast until well browned on every side, about 4 minutes per side, then set it aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Pour in the broth and Worcestershire, scraping up the browned bits. Return the roast to the pot with the thyme and bay leaf.
Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours. Add the carrots and potatoes, cover, and cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours more, until the meat pulls apart with a fork.
Rest 15 minutes. Skim the fat, slice or shred the roast, and spoon the vegetables and juices over the top.
Recipe 03Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Makes one 10-inch cake. Prep 20 minutes, bake about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method
Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan.
Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each one disappears.
Mix in the flour and salt on low speed in three additions, then the vanilla. Stop as soon as the batter is smooth.
Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until a skewer in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a rack and cool completely before slicing.
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