Channeling his favorite late-night dishes and post-shift meals, late last year chef Greg Baxtrom launched a special menu starting at 10:00 p.m. at his Bib Gourmand-designated Maison Yaki. With dishes such as pommes frites with kewpie ketchup and and a wagyu burger with miso mayo, fried shallots and shiitake mushrooms, Baxtrom incorporates a combination of French and Japanese flavors and techniques in the restaurant's offerings. One of the other options for your moonlit dining needs is fried chicken karaage with yuzu mayo and tonkatsu sauce.
For those unable or unwilling to make the trek out to Brooklyn well after sunset, here's how to make it at home.
Fried Chicken Karaage
Courtesy of Chef/Owner Greg Baxtrom, Maison Yaki, Brooklyn, New YorkIngredients
4 chicken thighs
6 tablespoons cornstarch
5 egg whites
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup panko
Oil, for frying
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Yuzu Mayonnaise, for serving (recipe follows)
Tonkatsu Sauce, for serving (recipe follows)
Sliced scallions, for serving
Method
1. De-bone and pound chicken thighs so they are thin and even. Combine the cornstarch and egg whites in a blender until smooth. Put the flour, cornstarch mixture and panko into three separate containers. Dredge each chicken thigh in flour, cornstarch mixture, and then panko.
2. Heat a fryer filled with oil to 350˚F. Deep-fry the breaded chicken thighs until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels or a wire rack to drain; immediately season with salt. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch strips.
3. Place each chicken thigh on a plate or tray, drizzle some of the yuzu mayonnaise and tonkatsu sauce over the top and sprinkle with scallions and both sesame seeds.
Yuzu Mayonnaise
Ingredients
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons yuzu juice
1 teaspoon yuzu kosho (a Japanese chile condiment)
Kosher salt
1 3/4 cups blended oil
Method
Combine the egg yolks, yuzu juice, yuzu kosho, 2 tablespoons water and some salt in a food processor. Slowly emulsify in blended oil, adding water as needed to prevent breakage and to achieve proper consistency. Taste for salt and acid and proper thickness. Reserve.
Tonkatsu Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup dark soy sauce
Method
Whisk all of the ingredients together. Reserve.
Photos by Noah Fecks.
