Trigger Fingers

Pictured with Our Black as Midnight BBQ Sauce

     So... remember in my Interview with Ben from North Market Spices how he was talking about their 'Gunslinger Rub,'? Well, I can't pass up good spice recommendations and I picked up a bag. And it was delicious, so, one evening in a mood for one of the comfort foods from my youth I decided to make up a batch of Chicken Tenders, and lo, the birth of something wonderful.

Here's What You'll Need:

1 Pound of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

4 Cups of Flour

1 1/2 Tablespoons of North Market Spices Gunslinger Rub

Here's What You'll Do:

1. Cut your chicken into thin strips lengthwise, about 1/8 of an inch thick.

2. Toss the Chicken Strips into a zip top storage bag with the Gunslinger Rub, make sure they are evenly coated, and squeeze the air out of the bag.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

4. Put your Flour into a large shallow container, like an 8x8 cake pan, and a few at a time place the Chicken Strips in the pan, bury with flour and press down lightly to make sure the flour adheres.

5. Lay each strip in a single layer on a plate and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. This will give the flour time to form a little Gluten, which will help it hold together in the fryer, as well as giving the chicken time to get a little closer to room temperature. You don't want to hold raw meats between 40 degrees and 140 degrees (known professionally as 'The Danger Zone') because it gives bacteria time to breed, but a few minutes shouldn't hurt anything, and the closer your Tenders are to room temperature when they enter the fryer the less cool down you will experience from your oil, the faster and easier each piece will leave 'The Danger Zone' and the crispier the end product will become.

6. One at a time drop your Tenders into a deep fryer heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 6-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. (I know, this can be tricky to determine with fried foods, but that's why you sliced them so thin Chief. Also, get a digital probe thermometer, you can get one for like, $20 and it might save someones life.)

7. Using Tongs or a 'Fryer Spider' extract your Trigger Fingers and place them on either a wire cooling rack on a sheet pan, or a couple of paper towels on a plate for a minute to wick away excess grease.

8. Enjoy with our Black as Midnight BBQ Sauce as pictured above, or with Sour Cream, or maybe even ranch dressing (I personally hate the stuff and feel like it is for people who don't want to taste food, they just want to taste ranch. I will be disappointed in you if you go for the Ranch, but unless you're one of a very small number of people I'm probably not peeking through your window to watch you eat, so I'll likely never know.)

Om Nom Nom Rings

     Onion rings, that delectable taste treat oh so many of us love to... treat like the weirdo cousin of the French Fried Potato. Oh sure, they're cool enough when they're hanging around, but much like Arnie from 'Hey Arnold!' you generally forget all about them five minutes after they leave. No more! Onion rings kick ass and you should be ashamed of yourself for hurting their feelings. After a long and tearful heart to heart I decided to help them step up their image and take their rightful place in the world of appetizers and side dishes as the bold and blazing star of the culinary world that they are, and should have always been. Really, they just needed a change of wardrobe, out with the soggy, droopy, old rags they usually wear and into a crisp spicy new get up that will make you go, 'Om nom nom, sweet thing, om nom nom...'

Here's What You'll  Need:

1 Large White Onion (cleaned and sliced into 1/4 inch rings, or thicker if you think you can handle all that flavor)
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ground Peppercorn ( I used Peppercorn Melange)
2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Chicken Base
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Oil for frying

Here's What You'll Do:

1. Combine all of your wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Combine all of your dry ingredients in a separate medium bowl.
3. Place your Onion Slices into a zip seal bag with half of your Flour Mixture and shake vigorously.
4. Pour remaining flour back into its bowl.
5. Take your rings out of the bag and one or two at a time drop them in your liquid mixture making sure to coat them evenly.
6. Pull them from the liquid and, trying unsuccessfully not to drip all over your counter, place them back into your flour mixture.
7. Pull the flour over the rings and press down on them with your open palm gently but firmly. This helps ensure that the flour adheres properly. At this point you can repeat steps 5-7 as many times as you want, though we here at The Columbus Digest would recommend against doing more than double dipping.
8. Drop rings one at a time into a preheated electric deep fryer or a Dutch Oven filled with about 6 cups of Canola or other frying oil. (Mary and I have a regular, Wal-Mart purchased Fry Daddy Electric Fryer, it's pretty damn convenient, resealable to keep your oil fresh for a few uses, and we feel like it was worth the $25.)
9. After about a minute flip each ring, a minute after that pull them out and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the extra oil.
10. Quickly wipe off your counter, I wasn't messing with you in step '6.' you probably dripped shit everywhere and it'll be the Dickens to get up if you let it dry.
11. Eat the Hell out of those onion rings, maybe with some ketchup that a wandering Hobo accidentally dropped a Basil Leaf into the way we did, or maybe with our Black as Midnight BBQ Sauce, or Wasabenero Sauce.

Restaurant Review- Flyers Pizza

     The first local only place I tried, Flyers was one of the initial kicks I needed to get me so interested in local food culture. I was new to the area, unemployed, and nearing the very last of my savings when I got a call back for a management position at Flyers. After a half dozen e-mails back and forth I finally got scheduled for an interview and made my way to their corporate headquarters in Dublin. The interview was going pretty well I thought, since I met 3/4 of the companies executives. They liked my passion for food, they liked my drive, they even seemed to accept that I hadn't had training in a lot of the paper work that managers needed to know how to do.
     But then came the question that ended my chances of stepping into that job. "Which of our pizza's is your favorite?"  I had to answer honestly,  I was new to the area and hadn't actually had Flyers Pizza yet. And it was over, thanks for your time, so long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight. I was given a coupon for a free pizza, any size or toppings, and ushered out the door.
     Now, I'll admit it, I was heart broken. That had been my best possible job prospect at the time and I was desperate for work, but despite that I couldn't help but approve of their decision and respect them for it. My passion for food was excellent, practically a job requirement, but I wasn't passionate about THEIR food. I wasn't in love with THEIR product yet, so I wasn't right for the position.
     It is a glorious thing for a business to care so much about what they make that you can't work there if you don't genuinely love it as much as they do.
     So, later that same day, sad and dejected, Mary (my fiance) and I made our way to our local Flyers to console ourselves with a nice slice. The interior of the place was spotlessly clean, and done up in much the same way that an old diner would be, though that diner would have to have a strong aeronautical theme to it. Classy.
     So we placed our order, the staff was friendly and helpful, and seemed genuinely excited when they heard that it was our first time there. We were seated quickly, drinks were brought immediately and kept full the entire time, and eventually we were brought our pizza. The "Ultimate" BBQ Chicken Pizza.
      I was slightly disappointed to find that unless you ask for it specifically, and are willing to to pay a little extra for it, you're not getting a thick doughy crust. Their standard is a flat crisp crust that, as it turned out, was still really good. It managed to be just the right mixture of crisp and flaky, and went extra well with the BBQ Chicken, leaving the overall dish  feeling like really high class nachos. The cheese was gooey and delicious, the vegetables (though sparse on this particular pizza, as opposed to their Country Garden Pizza which is heaped with all kind of fresh goodness) were well chosen as an accompaniment, and the sauce was tasty. They use Sweet Baby Rays which is the only big commercial Barbecue sauce that I will actually pay for, thoguh I still prefer my own Black as Midnight BBQ.
     Despite the crippling blow to my finances that, that day represented, I still took away a love for the product that would have stood me in good stead 12 hours earlier. So now many months, and many pies later, I finally get to tell everyone about it.

Final Ranking: A+ (Take note, this is an A+ DESPITE the places way higher than average prices. I'm even willing to pay for their 'Thick Dough,' more often than not. Flyers is a totally worthwhile buy, and I'm happy it's a part of my Columbus Experience.)

Pina Colada Chicken

     A refreshingly light and sweet dish, our Pina Colada Chicken is a great reminder that Spring is always right around the corner.

Here's what you'll need:
2 Pounds Chicken Breast (Cut lengthwise into strips)
2 Cup Flaked Coconut
1 Cup Pineapple Juice
1 Cup White Flour
2 Ounces Malibu Coconut Rum
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
On the side:
1 Can of Crushed Pineapple

Here's What you'll do:

1. Combine Pineapple Juice,Salt, and Rum in a zip lock bag and mix well to make a marinade.
2. Add Chicken Strips to your Marinade making sure to squeeze all the air from the bag and refrigerate for 20-25 minutes. (Any longer and a chemical in the Pineapple Juice will cause the chicken to become tough.
3. In a large bowl combine the Coconut and Flour. In a separate bowl scramble the eggs.
4. Remove Chicken from marinade and thoroughly coat each piece in egg.
5. Place each piece separately into the Flour and Coconut mixture, cover each piece with a loose pile of the mix and press down firmly to adhere the breading to the chicken.
6. Fry over medium heat until both sides of each piece are golden brown and chicken has reached a core temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
7.  Serve with a side of Crushed Pineapple for dipping.

Ginger Crusted Chicken

     Fast, easy, and with a distinctive Oriental flair, this is a dish to impress friends, family, or co-workers with at your next function.

Here's what you'll need:
8 Chicken legs
8 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Ginger
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Sesame Seed Oil
2 Teaspoons Red Food Coloring (Is food coloring cheating? Maybe. But damn does it look nice.)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Cardamom (yeah, this one is a bit expensive, but a little goes a long way, so that bottle should last a while)
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Here's what you'll do:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
2. Rinse Chicken legs with cold water, pat dry with paper towels, and place on a baking sheet.
3. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl or Food Processor, they should form a red paste of medium thickness.
4. Spoon mixture liberally over chicken legs, making sure they are evenly coated.
5. Place tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Farenheit.
6. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes then serve.
7. At this point the chicken should be covered with a crisp red brown crust.

Face Plant Parmesan

      So delicious you'll want to dive right in, this Eggplant Parmesan recipe is a real crowd pleaser with it's robust flavors and delicately contrasting textures. It's also a real Chef pleaser with only 30 minutes between plant and plate.

Here's what you'll need:
For the breaded Eggplant;
1 or more Eggplants
1/2 Cup Flour
1/4 Cup Cornstarch
2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Coarse Kosher Salt

For the egg wash;
3 Large Eggs
1/4 Cup Milk

To finish it off;
Any amount of Fresh Mozzarella that pleases you
Your favorite Marinara sauce

Here's what you do:

1. Preheat Oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Slice the Eggplant lengthwise into thick sheets.
3. Combine all of your dry ingredients in a zip seal bag. Combine the Eggs and Milk in a separate container large enough in which to lay the Eggplant slices.
4. Dip each piece of Eggplant in the Egg Wash then shake in the bag of breading.
5. Fry breaded slices lightly on each side to brown them.
6. Place browned slices on a large baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until fully softened inside with a crispy breading shell outside.
7. Top each slice with a drizzle of Marinara and heap with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, then return to oven for 3 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted.
8. Plate as is or over pasta.

Tso Simple Chicken

     General Tso's Chicken, while known for it's delicious sauce, is nothing without the tender, juicy, crispy chicken that holds it all together.

Here's what you'll need:
2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
2 Tablespoons Ground Ginger
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder

Here's what you do:

1. Whisk together the Ginger, Garlic, and Cornstarch.
2. Add the 3 Eggs and whisk together until well combined to make a batter.
3. Cut the Chicken into bite sized pieces (Scissors work great for this)
4. Coat the pieces evenly with the batter and deep fry in your favorite oil until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
5.  Cover with Better than So-So Tso's Sauce and enjoy.

Better than So-So Tso's Sauce