Name: Herb-and-Spice Southern Fried Chicken
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 2 frying chickens, weighing no more than 3 pounds each, cut up for frying; 2 tablespoons chopped garlic (about 8 large cloves); 4 cups buttermilk or plain all natural yogurt, stirred until smooth; 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; Lard or peanut oil, for frying; 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground mace; 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 2 teaspoons crumbled dried basil; 2 teaspoons bay leaves ground to a powder (use a spice mill or blender); 2 teaspoons crumbled dried oregano; 2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage; 2 teaspoons crumbled dried thyme; 1 teaspoon salt

Image may contain Food Fried Chicken and Nuggets

Herb-and-Spice Southern Fried ChickenCookbook cover image courtesy of Random House

A certain well-known take-out chicken with eleven herbs and spices is not the only Southern fried chicken that is seasoned with a complex blend of herbs and spices; it is just one of many. You can experiment with the combination until you have your own unique blend. If you don't have a couple of the spices on hand, feel free to omit them. When deep-fried, which is the way I prefer to cook this one, the chicken makes great picnic fare because it stays crispy long after it's cold, and the spice and herb seasoning stands up well to other highly seasoned picnic food.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Heavenly Halva Cake

Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.