Buttermilk is the secret to southern fried chicken.

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken, cut up into pieces with skin on (or a combination of breast, thighs, and legs with bones in and skin on)
• 3 c buttermilk
• 2 ¼ c cornmeal
• 2 ¼ c flour
• salt
• black pepper, freshly cracked
• peanut oil (or vegetable oil)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Dip chicken pieces into buttermilk, coating thoroughly.
4. Combine cornmeal and flour in a shallow dish.
5. Roll the chicken in the mixture, coating thoroughly.
6. Pour cooking oil into large frying pan, to ½ inch depth.
7. Heat over medium high heat until very hot.
8. Add chicken pieces to hot oil and cook until golden brown. The hot oil should reach half way up the sides of the chicken.
9. Turn pieces and cook on second side.
10. When chicken is completely browned, remove from pan and place on a baking sheet.
11. Continue cooking in 350º oven until chicken is done (internal temperature 170).

Serves: 12

Source: Marcel Desauiniers, the Trellis Restaurant,  Williamsburg, Virginia