Sea Island Life Magazine Spring/Summer 2014 | Page 11

by a chive potato purée, glazed vegetables,
pickled radish relish and spring herbs,”
Whiddon explains.
Whiddon isn’t opposed to a jaunty
summertime take on a picnic classic, the
chicken sandwich, either. His only-in-theSouth favorite: a buffalo chicken sandwich
that features a sour pickle-brined, fried
chicken breast with ranch, hot sauce and
bread, all homemade. “Add some [spicy]
Georgia Heat cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy,
sliced tomato and homemade pickles, and
you have a masterpiece,” Whiddon says.
Chef Alex Harrell of New Orleans’ Sylvain
restaurant also stimulates chicken-based
entrées with playful ingredients. “I take the
familiar favorite and add another traditional
Southern ingredient: bourbon,” he says. “The
bourbon brine makes the chicken moist and
get-togethers.” It produces a new, if not indigenous, take on fried chicken.

LALA’S FRIED CHICKEN

make it a vehicle for so many different

The Oak Room at The Lodge at Sea Island is famous for its fried chicken. It’s the most prized of all
foods enjoyed by the PGA TOUR players and families during The McGladrey Classic. The Lodge’s
Laishah “Lala” Lewis, who developed the recipe, shares her best tips for cooking with chicken.
1. Use the best chicken you can find.
2. A day before cooking, season the chicken lightly with salt, pepper, a touch of Old Bay,
poultry seasoning and a dash of Tabasco.
3. Season flour (for coating the chicken) with salt, pepper, a touch of granulated garlic,
poultry seasoning and dried thyme.
4. Deep fry at 350 degrees in canola oil to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
5. Allow the cooked chicken to rest in a warm place on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes
before serving.

only contributes to its perennial popularity,”
Whiddon adds, noting that chicken is also
a testament to the South’s ever-inventive
culinary spirit. “Chicken was easy to
raise—and it produces more food than
it consumes. … When you look at many
‘Southern’ items, you’ll notice a common
thread: making something spectacular out
of what’s available.”

MICHAEL PALUMBO PHOTOGRAPHY

BOURBON-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN FROM
ALEX HARRELL, CHEF AT SYLVAIN IN NEW ORLEANS
BRINE:
½ cup bourbon
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cups cold water
1 lemon, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
and crushed
4 sprigs of rosemary
SEASONED FLOUR:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup corn meal
2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet smoked
paprika
CHICKEN:
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups cold buttermilk
METHOD: Combine all
ingredients for the brine and
stir to mix well. In a separate
bowl, mix all ingredients for
the seasoned flour together.
Add chicken to the brine

and refrigerate for 6 hours.
Remove chicken from the
brine and discard liquid. Rinse
chicken and pat dry with
paper towels. Dip chicken into
the buttermilk then dredge
with seasoned flour. Shake off
excess flour and fry in peanut
or canola oil at 325 degrees
until brown and cooked to 155
degrees internal temperature
for white meat and 165
degrees internal temperature
for dark meat.

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