KENTUCKY FRIED MOTHERFUNGHI
FINGER LICKIN', ELBOW LICKIN', TOE LICKIN', THINGS ARE GETTING WEIRD LICKIN', GOOD
FORGET CHICKEN – THESE SHROOMS ARE THE REAL DEAL: FRESH, CRISPY, JUICY. AND TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER, WE'RE SERVING THEM WITH A RICH, HOMEMADE ROMESCO SAUCE. IT'S TIME TO ELEVATE YOUR FAST FOOD GAME. SALUTE THE NEW FRIED KING. LONG LIVE THE MUSHROOM!
FEEDS 4 II TIME: 20 MINS + 1 H MARINADE II DIFFICULTY: FINGER LICKIN’ EASY
INGREDIENTS
For the marinade
500g oyster mushrooms
500ml buttermilk
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp salt
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1 cup cornstarch/cornflour
For the spice mix
2 tsp table salt
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
4 Tbsp smoked or sweet paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp dry mustard powder
3 Tbsp white pepper
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp MSG
For frying
500ml to 750ml peanut oil
(peanut oil has a high smoke point but any other frying oil works)
Romesco sauce
12 toasted hazelnuts
24 toasted almonds
3 garlic cloves
2-3 medium ripe tomatoes
2 dried peppers or ñoras (alternatively, use a regular red pepper)
1 slice of bread
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Vinegar
Chili pepper (optional)
GET COOKING
Add buttermilk, smoked paprika, and salt into a bowl. Clean the oyster mushrooms and add them to the marinade. Mix well, be careful not to break the mushrooms, and let it marinate for about 1 hour.
In a large bowl, combine all-purpose white flour, cornstarch, table salt, dried thyme, dried basil, smoked or sweet paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dry mustard powder, white pepper, ground ginger, and MSG. Mix well to ensure even distribution of the spices.
Remove the mushrooms from the marinade and dredge each mushroom in the spice mix, ensuring they are well-coated.
Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer or a large skillet (I use a wok) until it reaches the desired frying temperature. Fry the coated mushrooms until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on a rack or paper towels.
ROMESCO SAUCE
On the list of ingredients I mentioned ñoras, which are dried peppers mainly used to make pimentón (a type of Spanish paprika). It gives romesco its color and unique flavor, but if instead you use some smoked paprika plus a normal red pepper, roasted, you will also get a fantastic result. So don’t stress.
Ok, let’s do this. First, preheat the oven and place the tomatoes, garlic, pepper, and bread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, especially on the bread. Roast until the vegetables are soft and slightly charred, and the bread is toasted.
Let the roasted ingredients cool down, then blend the roasted tomatoes, garlic, pepper, and bread with the toasted hazelnuts and almonds. Add a splash of vinegar and olive oil to taste, just remember two parts olive oil to one part vinegar. Season with salt and blend until there are just small bits around, think of a pesto type of texture. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Fuck yeah! Enjoy!
