Maryland Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

ALTHOUGH MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN IS A TOTALLY different culinary concept from traditional Southern fried chicken, it certainly qualifies as one of the classic glories of our cookery. Actually, it’s not “fried chicken” at all, since the pieces are just lightly browned before being simmered in liquid and served covered with a cream gravy. When, how, and why the dish evolved remains a secret of history, but it is true that Marylanders have always argued about whether the gravy should be poured over the chicken or served in a sauceboat, and that they’ve always eaten the dish with Maryland Beaten Biscuits. Although not meaning to buck tradition, I must confess that sometimes I’ve made this gravy with buttermilk instead of half-and-half, and love it.

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup half-and-half

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a paper bag, combine 1 cup of flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Shake the bag until the ingredients are well blended.
2. Pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the milk, then shake them in the paper bag to coat evenly with the flour mixture. Tap off any excess flour.
3. In a large, heavy skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil over moderately high heat.
4. Add the coated chicken pieces to the skillet, cover, and fry until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Use tongs to turn the pieces.
5. Uncover the skillet and continue frying until the chicken pieces are slightly browned all over.
6. Pour off the excess fat from the skillet. Add the water, reduce the heat to moderate, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Transfer the cooked chicken to a platter and keep it warm.
8. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the liquid from the skillet. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir for 3 minutes.
9. Add the half-and-half to the skillet, increase the heat to moderate, and cook until the gravy is thickened, while scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Remove the skillet from the heat.
10. Strain the gravy over the chicken and serve immediately.