East of Eden
DIRECTIONS:
RINSE THE MEAT AND SHAKE OFF MOST OF THE WATER. THROW SOME FLOUR, SALT AND PEPPER INTO A BAG OR BOWL AND TOSS EACH PIECE AROUND IN IT UNTIL EVENLY COATED THEN HANDLING CAREFULLY, LIGHTLY, PLACE THE COATED PIECES ON A COUPLE OF SHEETS OF PAPER TOWELS AND LET THE FLOUR ON THE MEAT DRY A BIT TO IMPROVE COATING . POUR ABOUT 1/2" OF OIL INTO A POT -USING A POT RATHER THAN A FRYING PAN WILL CONFINE THE SPATTERING OF HOT OIL AND KEEP YOUR STOVETOP CLEAN- AND HEAT UNTIL HOT ENOUGH TO PRODUCE A NICE BUT NOT TOO FURIOUS A SIZZLE WHEN A PIECE OF CHICKEN OR FISH IS PUT INTO IT. THIS IS NOT DEEP FRYING SO THE OIL SHOULD ONLY COME HALF WAY UP EACH PIECE OF MEAT AT THE MOST. YOU CAN ALSO USE LESS OIL.
COOK OVER A MEDIUM FIRE AND TURN PIECES AS THEY BROWN REMEMBERING THAT THICKER PIECES TAKE LONGER TO COOK THROUGH THAN THINNER PIECES IN THE SAME PAN SO WHILE A HOTTER OIL TEMPERATURE IS OKAY FOR CHICKEN WINGS AND THIN FISH SLICES, IT IS NOT OKAY FOR THE THICKER WHOLE FISH AND BONE-IN CHICKEN BREASTS OR THIGHS WHICH WILL BROWN TOO QUICKLY OUTSIDE AND YET NOT BE COOKED THROUGH.
TO TEST A THICK PIECE LIKE A BREAST FOR DONENESS YOU CAN EITHER TAKE IT OUT AND SLICE INTO IT AT THE THICKEST POINT AND LOOK WAY DOWN INTO THE CUT FOR BLOOD OR RAW MEAT.OR PIERCE IT THROUGH WITH A SMALL KNIFE AND SAR , IT'S DONE. IF CLEARJUICE OR BLOOD COMES OUT OF THE CUT IT'S NOT DONE. PUT IT BACK IN THE HOT OIL CAREFULLY AS THE FRESHLY EXPOSED BLOOD AND JUICE WILL SPLATTER WHEN IT HITS THE HOT OIL IN THE PAN . YOU WANT TO COOK THE FISH OR CHICKEN THOROUGHLY, CLEAN THROUGH BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT OVERCOOK IT WHICH WILL DRY IT OUT. THIS TAKES PRACTICE
A NOTE: A CAST IRON OR A STEEL PAN WILL BROWN FOOD BETTER THAN THE ALUMINUM PANS WHICH ARE, BY FAR, THE MOST COMMON TYPE USED IN JAMAICA.