Name: Fried chicken and coleslaw rolls
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 70 gm fine sea salt; 8 chicken thigh fillets; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 500 ml buttermilk (2 cups); 300 ml milk; 4 eggwhites; 350 gm plain flour; 50 gm rice flour; 2 tsp each onion powder and sweet paprika; 1 tsp each finely ground white pepper, garlic powder, finely ground dried thyme and dried oregano; ½ tsp cayenne pepper; Coleslaw with buttermilk dressing; 400 gm white cabbage (about ½), diced; 2-4 golden shallots, to taste, finely chopped; 100 ml buttermilk; 100 gm good-quality mayonnaise (⅓ cup); Juice of ½ lemon; Large pinch of caster sugar; ¼ cup chopped chives (about 1 bunch); ½ cup each torn flat-leaf parsley and dill; Soft pull-apart rolls; 185 ml milk, plus extra for brushing; 30 gm butter; 450 gm plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 15 gm caster sugar; 10 gm dried yeast (about 1½ sachets); 1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Fried chicken and coleslaw rolls

The fried chicken served at St Katherine's restaurant in Melbourne is the inspiration behind this recipe. You'll need to begin it a day ahead.

Serves 8

Prep

Cook

1H 15M

Total

2H 15M

Ingredients

70 gm fine sea salt

8 chicken thigh fillets

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

500 ml buttermilk (2 cups)

300 ml milk

4 eggwhites

350 gm plain flour

50 gm rice flour

2 tsp each onion powder and sweet paprika

1 tsp each finely ground white pepper, garlic powder, finely ground dried thyme and dried oregano

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Coleslaw with buttermilk dressing

400 gm white cabbage (about ½), diced

2-4 golden shallots, to taste, finely chopped

100 ml buttermilk

100 gm good-quality mayonnaise (⅓ cup)

Juice of ½ lemon

Large pinch of caster sugar

¼ cup chopped chives (about 1 bunch)

½ cup each torn flat-leaf parsley and dill

Soft pull-apart rolls

185 ml milk, plus extra for brushing

30 gm butter

450 gm plain flour, plus extra for dusting

15 gm caster sugar

10 gm dried yeast (about 1½ sachets)

1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Method

1.Bring salt and 2 litres water to the simmer in a large saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Cool completely, add chicken and refrigerate to brine (overnight).

2.For coleslaw with buttermilk dressing, combine ingredients (except herbs) in a non-reactive container, season to taste and refrigerate for flavours to develop (overnight). Add herbs just before serving.

3.For soft pull-apart rolls, combine milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until melted (5 minutes). Remove from heat, add 135ml water and set aside to cool to lukewarm. Combine remaining ingredients with a large pinch of salt in a bowl. Add milk mixture and mix until smooth, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour as necessary to form a very soft dough. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside until doubled in size (40 minutes). Knock back dough, knead until smooth, divide into eight and roll into balls. Place in a lightly oiled 22cm-diameter cake tin, leaving space between each to expand, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside until doubled in size (30-40 minutes). Preheat oven to 180C. Brush rolls with milk, dust with flour, then transfer to oven and bake, rotating tin occasionally, until cooked through and golden (20-30 minutes). Remove from oven and stand for 5 minutes, then remove from tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

4.Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over medium-high heat, drain chicken, add to boiling water and cook until just cooked through (8-10 minutes). Drain and set aside.

5.Heat oil in a large saucepan to 180C. Combine buttermilk and milk in a bowl. Whisk eggwhite to soft peaks in a separate bowl, then fold through milk mixture. Combine flours, onion powder, spices, garlic powder and herbs in a separate bowl. Dip chicken in milk mixture, dust with flour mixture, then repeat. Deep-fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and hot (5-7 minutes; be careful as hot oil will spit). Drain on absorbent paper. Stuff chicken and coleslaw with buttermilk dressing into soft pull-apart rolls and serve.