LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2017

ENTERTAINING  AFTER MIDNIGHT

Chicken Nuggets WITH CILANTRO DIPPING SAUCE

1 Prepare sauce by whirling cilantro and pars- ley in a food processor. With motor running, drop in garlic cloves. Slowly pour in oil in a slow steady stream. Whirl in vinegar. Season with salt. Sauce will keep well, covered and re- frigerated for at least 12 hours. 2 For coating, place flour and salt in a shallow dish. Beat eggs in a separate shallow dish. In another shallow dish, stir bread crumbs and sesame seeds. 3 Cut chicken into 1½ to 2-inch (4 to 5-cm) chunks. Season with salt, if you like. Work- ing with a few pieces at a time, dip and coat in flour then egg. Next, coat in sesame-bread crumb mixture. Set on a parchment-lined bak- ing sheet. Repeat until all chicken is coated. 4 To fry, fill a deep fryer or large deep pot with 2 inches (5 cm) of oil. Set over medium-high. Heat until a thermometer reads 350°F (180°C). Working in batches, carefully add chicken. Cook about 6 pieces at a time. Adjust heat as needed to maintain temperature. Fry until deep-golden and chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Serve immediately.

5 To bake, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange dipped chicken pieces over 2 parch­ ment-lined baking sheets. Brush all sides with oil. Bake until chicken is crisp and cooked through, 20 to 22 minutes. 6 If making ahead, cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Reheat by preheating oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake cooked chicken on a baking sheet until crisp and warm, about 8 minutes. 7 Serve hot nuggets with dipping sauce. Makes approximately 36 nuggets and 1 cup (250 mL) sauce

The crispy texture and nostalgia factor of these yummy bites are sure to delight your guests. These tasty morsels can be made a few hours ahead and reheated but they’re at their best straight out of the fryer. DIPPING SAUCE 1 cup (250 mL) packed fresh cilantro ½ cup (125 mL) packed fresh parsley 5 cloves garlic ¾ cup (175 mL) vegetable oil 2 tbsp (30 mL) red-wine vinegar ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt CHICKEN 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) salt plus more for seasoning 3 eggs 1½ cups (375 mL) dry bread crumbs ½ cup (125 mL) sesame seeds 3 to 4 chicken breasts, 2 lbs (1 kg) in total Vegetable oil, approx. 8 cups (2 L) for frying or ¼ cup (60 mL) for baking

WHAT TO SERVE

Origin Aromatic Sparkling Wine VQA LCBO 493304, 250 mL, $5.95 Codorníu Brut Clasico Sparkling Cava LCBO 215814, $13.95

56  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2017