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View Full Version : Hey Thrasher - Austin Leslie's Fried Chicken!!!


NOLAMan
08-06-2008, 12:29 PM
Prior to Austin Leslie's short lived move to Pampy's, he worked for several years at a place called Jacques-Imo’s on Oak Street in Uptown New Orleans. Jacques-Imo’s is a joint but is probably considered by locals one of the very best restaurants in the city. With a no reservation policy folks line up and wait for hours to get a table, and Jack the owner will place tables on the sidewalk, in the alley as well as in the bed of his pickup truck to accommodate patrons.

When you finally got in you would be marched through the kitched to the dinning room and on the way you would always see Austin Leslie standing by the fryer. Jacques-Imo’s and his other joint Crabby Jacks was/is the only place in town where you could get Austin Leslie's famous fried chicken.

When Austin left Jacques-Imo’s, he did allow them to continue cooking and serving his chicken. So if you're ever in NOLA, now you know where to go!

BTW, Stan "Pampy" Barre was busted by the Feds on some type of political corruption charges and recently convicted.

Here you go:

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/friedchicken.jpg

Austin Leslie’s Fried Chicken with Persillade Recipe

1 ¼ Cups Peanut Oil for frying
1 3-3 ½ lb Fryer cut up (see above)
Salt and Black Pepper
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 cup Evaporated Milk
1 cup Water
½ Cup flour

Garnish:
4 Tbl fresh minced garlic
4 Tbl fresh minced parsley
Dill Pickle Slices

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet to 350º F, the oil should come about halfway up the sides of the skillet. Adjust the amount in accordance with the skillet size. Combine garlic and parsley (persillade) in small mixing bowl and set aside.

Wash chicken pieces in cool water, pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk egg, evaporated milk and water. Season with salt and pepper. Place flour in a separate bowl. One piece at a time, starting with heaviest pieces, dip chicken into egg wash, squeeze, dip into flour and place gently in skillet. Do not overcrowd skillet.

Maintain temperature of 350º F. Use tongs and long fork to turn chicken often for 7-8 minutes. Remove chicken from oil with tongs, pierce with fork and squeeze. Place chicken back in oil approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Chicken is done when no longer hissing and juices run clear. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Immediately top with a sprinkle of garlic and parsley mixture. Continue until all the chicken is cooked.
Garnish each piece with a slice of dill pickle.

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/Austin.jpg

thrasher
08-06-2008, 12:54 PM
WOW! Did not know about Jacques-Imo’s. Never been there.

Thanks(!) for the recipie. I will have to give this a try.

BillyB
08-06-2008, 01:10 PM
Mike is giving out the good recipes :thumbsup:

thrasher
08-06-2008, 01:13 PM
For anyone that doesn't know,... Austin Leslie is known as the Godfather of Fried Chicken. Good stuff!!!

TJ Willy
08-06-2008, 03:30 PM
WOW! Did not know about Jacques-Imo’s. Never been there.

Thanks(!) for the recipie. I will have to give this a try.

Be sure I am around when you do Bro.



just sayin'

NOLAMan
08-06-2008, 05:34 PM
Actually here is one of New Orleans best kept secrets. It's called "Willie Mae's Scotch House" and this is considered and actually may be the best fried chicken in the country.

Here's the goods!

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/fchick.jpg

Here's the place!

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/wms.jpg

Here's the chef!

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/chef.jpg

Cat's outta da bag!

thrasher
08-06-2008, 07:08 PM
Be sure I am around when you do Bro.



just sayin'

How 'bout this fall when it turns a little cooler like in October or November?

Dude, we gotta make a trip to NOLA. No doubt.

thrasher
08-06-2008, 07:09 PM
Actually here is one of New Orleans best kept secrets. It's called "Willie Mae's Scotch House" and this is considered and actually may be the best fried chicken in the country.

Here's the goods!

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/fchick.jpg

Here's the place!

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/wms.jpg

Here's the chef!

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/chef.jpg

Cat's outta da bag!

My list is gettin longer, Mike. :roflback:

BTW, that sure looks a lot like squall line in the picture of the restraunt...

NOLAMan
08-06-2008, 08:10 PM
Probably is a squall line. The pic of the restaurant is post Katrina the place was wiped by the storm.

Willie Mae Seton is I think about 94 years old and her restaurant is considered an "American Classic" by the James Beard Foundation.

http://members.cox.net/nolakrewe/house.jpg

Following Katrina the Southern Foodways Alliance, an organization based in Oxford Mississippi, sent a group of volunteers and over $200,000.00 and put the place back together again. After which it reopened and Bon Appetite Magazine rated it the No.1 best fried chicken in the country!

By the time y'all get here I will make sure you have a long list and many recipes!

Watch the show!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/offthebroiler/tags/williemaes/show/

BillyB
08-06-2008, 08:55 PM
Mike is giving you guys "got to go eat there one day in the near future" suggestions for the New Orleans area. I saw Willie Mae's on the Travel Channel a few weeks back and it was being touted as one of the best places in the country for fried chicken. I need to put it on the list for the next trip home, it's probably been 10 years since I was last there.....way too long :DD

All of these 100 degree high humidity days have reminded me how much I used to like the drive-through daiquiri shops back home as well :roflback:

TJ Willy
08-06-2008, 09:48 PM
How 'bout this fall when it turns a little cooler like in October or November?

Dude, we gotta make a trip to NOLA. No doubt.

November might be doable - I will need to survive my October trip. Doing the Arkansas and Oklahoma portions of the TAT. I mentioned the trail in an earlier post.

We could do a weekend trip to Nola.