Bryan Voltaggio brings fried chicken to The Dish

Chef Bryan Voltaggio is at the forefront of the American farm-to-table cuisine trend with his passion for the cooking style rooted in his family's Frederick County, Maryland, garden. Voltaggio went from sous-chef of the local Holiday Inn to James Beard Foundation Award nominee and owner of six restaurants.

Here is how to make a few of his signature recipes with some tips from the chef himself: Fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, butter lettuce with blue cheese and strawberry mostarda, grilled watermelon "ribs," celeriac and green apple slaw, banana pudding parfaits and a "Smoke on the Water" cocktail to drink!

Recipes reprint courtesy Little, Brown and Company © 2015 by Bryan Voltaggio

Fried chicken

Serves 4

I named one of my restaurants family meal because i love the idea of gathering the family around a table, whether at home or in a restaurant, to enjoy each other's company along with a good meal. I love to bring people together. This fried chicken was developed for the opening menu of family meal and, funnily enough, when we were testing recipes for it we served the fried chicken for "family meal" to the staff at my other restaurant volt. Everybody weighed in on what they liked best about each version, and this recipe is the culmination of all those tests. The secret is the pickle juice in the brine. It's like a magic elixir, and it kills me whenever I see someone throw it away. In this crunchy, juicy, fried chicken, it makes everything taste better. Depending on the season, the celeriac and green apple slaw or the baked applesauce would be a great way to round out this meal

Chicken Brine:

9 cups / 2.02 kilograms brown chicken stock

1 cup / 225 grams pickle brine

2 tablespoons / 36 grams fine sea salt

1 teaspoon / 1.2 grams coriander seeds

1 teaspoon / 2.3 grams fennel seeds

½ teaspoon / 2.6 grams yellow mustard seeds

1 bay leaf ½ bunch thyme

½ head garlic, split horizontally

1 orange, quartered

1 (4- to 5-pound / 1.8- to 2.26-kilogram) whole chicken

Chicken spice:

2 tablespoons / 18 grams our bay seasoning blend

4 teaspoons / 24 grams fine sea salt

4 teaspoons / 12 grams paprika

2 teaspoons / 2.5 grams chili powder

2 teaspoons / 4.5 grams onion powder

2 teaspoons / 4.5 grams garlic powder

2 teaspoons / 2.5 grams ground celery seeds

1 teaspoon / 2 grams freshly ground black pepper

Chicken dredge:

4 cups / 600 grams all-purpose flour

1 cup / 140 grams cornmeal

½ cup / 56 grams cornstarch

2 tablespoons / 18 grams chicken spice

Peanut or canola oil, for frying the chicken

Make the chicken brine:

Put all of the ingredients in a large pot set over high heat. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Strain and cool the liquid to 40°f (4°c) and reserve in the refrigerator until you are ready to brine your chicken.

Cut up the chicken:

Use kitchen shears to cut along one side of the backbone of the chicken from the head to the tail. The hardest piece to cut will be at the top of the neck. Then cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it from the bird. Set aside to use for stock. Open up the chicken and pat down the cavity with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Cut away any excess skin from the bottom of the thigh area and remove any pocket of fat. Add them to your stock trimmings. Beginning from the tail end of the bird, use the shears to cut through the center of the breast, dividing the chicken in half.

Flip over one piece so that it is breast side up and gently lift the leg. Cut through the skin at the bottom of the breast and down to the bone, sliding it horizontally under the bone and toward the leg, separating it from the breast. Lay the leg on a cutting board and look at the skin; you will see a line where the skin changes from the leg to the thigh. That line indicates where to separate the leg and thigh. Cut through the joint to separate the pieces. Set them aside.

Pull the wing slightly out and away from the breast so you can see where it attaches to the body. Slide the tip of your knife around the top of the wing where it attaches to the breast and expose the joint. Cut through the joint and remove the wing. Use the shears to trim any excess bone from around the breast and reserve for stock. Repeat with the other side so that you end up with 8 pieces of chicken. Alternatively, you can ask your butcher to break the chicken down for you or substitute 4 to 5 pounds of your favorite part of the chicken. Put the chicken in a large container with a lid and pour the brine over it. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Make the chicken spice:

Put all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Chicken spice can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 year.

Make the chicken dredge:

Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Drain the chicken from the brine and set it on a rack set over a baking sheet. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Dredge the chicken 1 piece at a time, rolling it in the bowl and then shaking it gently to remove any excess. Put each piece on the parchment-lined baking sheet. When all the pieces are dredged, put the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Reserve the remaining dredge in the bowl.

Fry the chicken:

Preheat a deep fryer or heavy skillet with 3 inches of oil to 350°f (180°c). Preheat the oven to 200°f (95°c). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside. Dredge the chicken pieces one more time, returning them to the parchmentlined baking sheet. If you don't have a thermometer, you can check the temperature of the oil by adding a pinch of flour. If it fries up immediately, you're good to go. Put 2 or 3 pieces of chicken at a time in the hot oil, beginning with the larger pieces, and fry for 8 minutes on each side, or until golden brown all over. Transfer to the wire rack, put it in the oven, and continue to fry the remaining chicken. Once the last batch of chicken has spent 10 minutes in the low oven, you are ready to serve.

Buttermilk biscuits

Makes 20 biscuits

These buttermilk biscuits require a light touch. At my restaurant family meal, where we make these in giant batches, we grate the butter and freeze it with liquid nitrogen before putting all of the ingredients in a large plastic container and then gently shaking it until the dough comes together. It doesn't get mixed at all. This version doesn't require liquid nitrogen; just be sure your butter is well chilled and you'll get light, flaky biscuits that will practically melt in your mouth.

11/2 pounds / 680 grams all-purpose flour

1½ tablespoons / 27 grams baking powder

1½ tablespoons / 19 grams sugar

2 teaspoons / 12 grams fine sea salt

1½ teaspoons / 7.5 grams baking soda

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons / 510 grams chilled buttermilk

4 large egg yolks, divided

10 tablespoons / 140 grams chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 cup / 113 grams grated cheddar or jack cheese

½ cup / 32 grams chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons / 33 grams whole milk

Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Put the buttermilk and 3 of the egg yolks in a large measuring cup and whisk to blend. Cut the butter into the flour using 2 knives or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour and add the cheese and chives. Use a rubber spatula to gently mix everything together until all of the flour has been absorbed. Do not overwork the dough. You should be able to see bits of butter throughout the dough. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Gently roll it out into a rectangle approximately ½ inch thick. Fold the top third down over the middle third and the bottom third up over the two layers, as you would fold a letter. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat rolling and folding the dough. Wrap with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to rest.

Preheat the oven to 375°f (190°c).

Put the remaining egg yolk and the milk in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until smooth. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, unwrap, and put it on a lightly floured countertop. Roll it out to a thickness of ½ inch and use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Arrange them on a baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each one. Brush the tops with the egg wash and bake for 8 minutes, or until they rise and turn golden brown.

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Butter lettuce with blue cheese and strawberry mostarda

Serves 4 to 6

Butter lettuce has a wonderful, soft texture. The light green leaves are usually served whole so you can appreciate their delicate beauty and soft crunch. This salad uses dried strawberries in a spicy, tangy mostarda, along with fresh strawberries and gorgonzola cheese.

The star of this dish is actually the sunflower seeds. They are cooked down with honey, sugar, and piment d'espelette, creating a candied crunch that is almost like eating sweet sunshine on a plate. This may seem like a lot of sunflower seeds when you're cooking them, but once you taste them you'll understand. They have a habit of disappearing out of the pantry like magic.

Strawberry mostarda:

2 Ounces / 75 grams dried strawberries

1/3 cup / 75 grams balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup / 72 grams dijon mustard

1/3cup / 75 grams white grape juice

1/4 teaspoon / 1.5 grams fine sea salt

Honey-roasted sunflower seeds:

1/4 cup / 50 grams sugar

3 tablespoons / 50 grams honey

1/2 / 3 grams fine sea salt

1 cups / 285 grams unsalted raw sunflower seeds

1/4 teaspoon / 1 gram piment d'espelette

The rest of the salad:

4 heads butter lettuce

8 ounces / 227 grams fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and cut into quarters

2 tablespoons / 28 grams olive oil

4 ounces / 113 grams gorgonzola cheese, frozen

Make the mostarda: The day before you want to serve the salad, make the strawberry mostarda. Place all of the ingredients in a container, mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, put the strawberry mixture in a blender. Turn the speed on low and increase the speed to high. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain the mostarda through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve.

Make the honey-roasted sunflower seeds: Put the sugar, honey, and salt in a heavy bottomed pot. Over medium heat, cook the sugar and honey together until the sugar melts, and then add the sunflower seeds. Cook and stir the seeds in the sugars until the sugars caramelize and the seeds become evenly roasted, about 10 minutes. Stir in the piment d'espelette. Remove the honey-roasted seeds from the pan and cool them on a parchment lined baking sheet. When the seeds are cool, store them in a zip-top bag.

Assemble the salad: Put the lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Add the strawberries and olive oil. Add the strawberry mostarda by the spoonful, so that it evenly coats and does not soak the leaves and strawberries. Put the salad into a large serving container. Break the honey-roasted sunflower seeds into clusters and sprinkle over the salad. Use a microplane to grate the frozen gorgonzola over the top of the salad.

Grilled watermelon "ribs"

Serves 6-8

1 (8- to 10-pound / 3.6- to 4.5-kilogram) watermelon

1/4 cup fajita seasoning (see below)

2 tablespoons / 28 grams olive oil 2 limes, cut into wedges

Fajita seasoning:

5 teaspoons /12 grams chili powder

1 tablespoon /12 grams sugar

1 tablespoon /7 grams cornstarch

2 teaspoons /5 grams onion powder

2 teaspoons / 5 grams garlic powder

2 teaspoons /4 grams ground cumin seeds

1 ½ teaspoons / 8 grams smoked paprika

1 teaspoon /6 grams fine sea salt

½ teaspoon / 1 gram cayenne pepper

Cut the small ends of the watermelon on both sides. Stand it up on a cutting board and use a serrated knife to shave off the skin, leaving the pale green rind and the red center. Once you have pared away all of the skin, cut away the green and white rind, along with the lightest inner section of the fruit, leaving the deep red center intact. This can be reserved to serve on its own. Try to remove the rind in 4 pieces. Place each piece on a cutting board and score them in slightly diagonal lines, 1/4 inch deep, horizontally across the slabs so they resemble a rack of ribs. Season each piece on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the fajita seasoning. Wrap the watermelon "ribs" in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat a grill so that it is very hot. Rub each slab of watermelon rind on both sides with 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil. Place the ribs diagonally on the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until grill marks form on the fruit. Give each melon a half turn and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, so that crosshatch marks appear. Flip the watermelon over and repeat on the other side. Transfer the watermelon to a large platter and squeeze lime juice over the slabs. Carve the watermelon into "ribs" and serve.

Celeriac and green apple slaw

Serves 6 to 8

This is my favorite coleslaw. I played around with it for years before i was satisfied with the recipe. I love the variety of textures and flavors in this salad. Sweet, mellow celeriac dug from the ground and crisp, juicy apples plucked from the trees come together in a tart buttermilk dressing. The capers add salt, the herbs add brightness, and the fresh celery leaves complement the deeper flavor of the celeriac. I like this slaw with everything, alongside my Cuban sandwiches or with Maryland crab cake sandwiches or on a turkey sandwich the day after thanksgiving.

1 cup / 240 grams buttermilk

2 tablespoons / 28 grams extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons / 25 grams mayonnaise

1 tablespoon / 14 grams champagne vinegar

grated zest from 1 lemon

1 teaspoon / 6 grams fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon / 1 gram freshly ground black pepper

1 medium celeriac (about 1 pound / 454 grams), peeled and thinly shaved with a mandoline and cut into matchsticks

1 medium green apple, peeled, thinly sliced, and cut into matchsticks

4 celery ribs, thinly sliced on a long bias

¼ cup / 30 grams capers

1/2 cup / 32 grams fresh chervil, minced

1/4 cup / 32 grams fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

1/4 cup / 32 grams celery heart leaves, chopped

Combine the buttermilk, olive oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon zest in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Season with the salt and pepper and whisk until the salt has dissolved. Add the celeriac, green apple, celery, and capers and mix well. Cover and let the vegetables marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. Add the chervil, parsley, and celery leaves and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Banana pudding parfaits

Makes 8 parfaits

Butterscotch pudding:

3/4 cup / 150 grams granulated sugar

1/4 cup / 56 grams water

1/4 cup / 60 grams heavy cream

2 tablespoons / 28 grams butterscotch schnapps

1/2 cup / 106 grams packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup / 37 grams cornstarch

2 teaspoons / 12 grams fine sea salt

3 cups / 720 grams half-and-half

4 large eggs

¼ cup / 56 grams unsalted butter, sliced

1 teaspoon / 4 grams vanilla extract

Cheesecake "mousse":

8 ounces plus 1 3/4 tablespoons / 250 grams cream cheese, diced, room temperature seeds from ½ vanilla bean

13 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon / 200 grams heavy cream

1 teaspoon / 4 grams vanilla extract

6 1/2 tablespoons / 50 grams powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon / 1.5 grams fine sea salt

Banana jam:

2 1/2 cups / 500 grams granulated sugar

1 cup plus 1 3/4 tablespoons / 250 grams water

6 ripe bananas, sliced

3 tablespoons / 42 grams fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon / 3 grams fine sea salt

Spiced shortbread:

1 pound / 454 grams unsalted butter, diced, room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 225 grams granulated sugar

4 1/2 cups / 675 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon / 3 grams fine sea salt

3/4 teaspoon / 1.5 grams ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon / 1 gram ground ginger

Sliced bananas, for serving granulated sugar, for sprinkling special equipment: propane torch

Make the butterscotch pudding: put the granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepot set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let it cook, undisturbed, until the sugar turns a deep golden brown. Remove from the heat and carefully add the heavy cream and butterscotch schnapps. Stir until everything melts and comes together. Return to medium heat and whisk in the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, and half-and-half. Bring to a simmer.

Put the eggs in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth and well blended. Slowly temper in the pudding base and then return the mixture to the pot to finish cooking. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 170°f (77°c). Remove from the heat and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir in the butter and vanilla and mix until the butter melts and is absorbed. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up 24 hours

Make the cheesecake "mousse": mix the cream cheese and vanilla seeds in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed until smooth. Stop the mixer and change to the whisk attachment. Add the cream, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and salt and whip until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to chill and set.

Make the banana jam: put the sugar and water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar turns a deep golden brown. Remove from the heat and carefully add the bananas. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the caramel melts, the bananas break down, and the mixture becomes soft and jammy. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and salt. Let cool. Banana jam may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Make the spiced shortbread: cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Stop the mixer. Add the flour, salt, cinnamon, and ginger and mix on low speed until all of the flour is absorbed. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a rough rectangle, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°f (180°c). Roll the dough out ¼ inch thick, cut out 2-inch rounds, and lay them out on a baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each cookie. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just set and golden brown around the edges.

Cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooled cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Make the parfaits: put ½ cup butterscotch pudding in the bottom of eight 8-ounce mason jars or other similar serving containers. Add 2 tablespoons banana jam, 2 tablespoons cheesecake "mousse," and top with 1 cookie, gently pressing it down into the mousse. Repeat the layers, ending with a cookie on top. Parfaits may be covered with lids and refrigerated until ready to serve, for up to 3 days. To serve, arrange 5 or 6 slices of banana over the top of each parfait. Sprinkle a light, even layer of granulated sugar over the tops of the bananas and use a propane torch to caramelize the sugar. Let cool for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

"Smoke on the Water" cocktail

6 cups watermelon juice

6 cups dry sparkling wine

1 cup black pepper simple syrup

1 cup yellow chartreuse

.75 cup mezcal

.75 cup lime juice

pistachio tajin rim

watermelon juice

Blend pieces of seedless watermelon and then pass through a fine mesh sieve, put in fridge to chill

Black pepper simple syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon whole peppercorns

1 tablespoon ground peppercorns

Combine all ingredients bring to a boil simmer for 15 minutes and strain, put in fridge to chill pistachio tajin rim

2 tablespoons crushed roasted and salted pistachio 1.5 tablespoon tajin

.5 tablespoon kosher salt

You can pulse pistachios in a spice grinder or crush with a meat tenderizer in a piece of parchment paper, make sure you put through a strainer to sift out large pieces and husk.

Combine all of the ingredients in a punch bowl, rim all the chosen glassware and serve