Tasty Tailgating Recipes

Try these tasty tailgating recipes from Chef Delilah Winder's new book, “Delilah's Everyday Soul.”

Fried Chicken
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup hot sauce
2 chickens (about 2 ½ pounds each), cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
6 cups canola oil, for frying
2 cups Chicken Flour

Instructions:
At least 8 hours before cooking the chicken combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a large zip top bag. Add the chicken, making sure they are completely coated, and set in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
The next day or when you are ready to proceed with the dish, heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan. (To check if the oil is hot enough, sprinkle a bit of chicken flour in a shallow pan and add the chicken pieces, dredging liberally and patting gently to remove and excess flour. Carefully place about 4 or 5 chicken pieces in the oil and fry on both sides, turning once, until golden brown and cooked completely. Remove from the pan and set aside on paper towels to drain and keep warm while frying the remaining chicken. To serve, arrange the fried chicken on a large serving platter.

Jerk Chicken
Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 dried bay leaves
6 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 Scotch bonnet chili peppers, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
8 sprigs fresh thyme, stemmed
6 gloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup fresh limejuice
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup canola oil
2 whole chickens (about 3 pounds each), cut into 8 pieces each

Instructions:
At least 8 hours before grilling the chicken, stir together all of the ingredients (Except the chicken) in a medium bowl. Place the chicken pieces into one large zip top bag (or divide between two smaller bags) and add the combined seasonings. Seal the bag(s), shake to coat all of the chicken pieces, and set in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 8 hours overnight.
The next day or when you are ready to proceed with the dish, prepare a hot grill. (If possible, use a combination of wood charcoal and soaked mesquite or hickory wood chips for the best flavor.) Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on the grill, cover and cook, turning once, until well browned and fully cooked, about 30 to 40 minutes.
To serve, arrange the chicken pieces on a large serving platter.

American Cooler
Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 ½ ounces bourbon*
2 ounces orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
Orange slice for garnish

Instructions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a shaker filled with cracked ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a tumbler or an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice and garnish with an orange slice.
* Note: I prefer Knob Creek bourbon in this recipe.

Barbeque Pulled Pork Sandwich with Cole Slaw
Serves 6

Ingredients:
PORK:
1 boneless pork shoulder (about 8 to 10 pounds), skin on
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 small clove garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
2 table spoons black pepper

COLE SLAW:
½ medium head red cabbage, cored and finely sliced
½ medium head green cabbage, cored and finely sliced

1 Spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 cups mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Salt & black pepper

FINISH THE PORK:
3 cups Barbeque Sauce (recipe follows)
6 hamburger buns, for serving

BARBEQUE SAUCE
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
6 tablespoons brown sugar
5 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes

Instructions:
At least 8 hours before roasting the pork, rub the pork shoulder all over with oil, parsley, granulated and fresh garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper. Set it in a large dish, cover with plastic wrap, and set in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 8 and up to 24 hours. (The longer the pork marinates the better.) When you are ready to proceed with the dish, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the pork in a medium roasting pan and roast skin side up for about 3 hours. After 3 hours, raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees and roast until the meat is very tender and begins to fall off the bone, about 1 ½ more.
Meanwhile, to make the coleslaw, combine the cabbages, onion, and carrots in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, and sugar, tossing to coat, and season with salt and pepper.
To finish the pork, remove it from the oven, cut away the skin, and set the pork in a medium (about 4-quart) Dutch oven. Pour the barbeque sauce overtop and bring to a vigorous simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour. Remove the pork from the heat and, while it is still in the Dutch oven, shred it into pieces. (The pork will be very tender at this point.) To serve, place the buns on individual plates or a serving platter, divide the pork among them, and top with Cole slaw.

For Barbeque Sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened and translucent. Stir in the remaining ingredients; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of steak sauce, about 1 ½ hours. Remove from heat and use immediately, or cool and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Fish Stew
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds redfish fillets or other firm white fish, such as snapper or grouper
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
2 dried bay leaves1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
23/4 cups fish stock
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped scallion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Instructions:
Cut the fish fillets into 3 inch pieces and season with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Place in a shallow pan, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the dish.
In a large heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven stir together the oil and flour to form a paste (roux). Place over medium heat and simmer, stirring gently with a whisk or wooden spoon, until the roux becomes a milk chocolate brown color, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the celery, onions, and peppers and continue to simmer, stirring frequently, for 6 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock, salt, cayenne pepper, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Reduce the heat to medium low and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until a thin film of oil appears on the surface, about 30 minutes. Add the seasoned fish fillets, scallions, and parsley to the stew and simmer until the fish is done and flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes. To serve, remove the bay leaves and ladle the stew into individual bowls or serve in a soup tureen.

Potato Salad with Herbs
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
5 pounds medium red skinned potatoes
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
½ cup chopped scallions
Caesar Dressing
Salt
Black pepper

Instructions:
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan or medium stockpot. Fill with enough cold salted water to cover by about ½ inch, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and when they are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters.
Combine the potatoes, herbs, and scallions in a large bowl. Pour in the dressing, tossing gently to combine, and season with salt and pepper. Set in the refrigerator to chill, if desired. Serve in a large serving bowl.