DAD'S DELICIOUS CHICKEN

Nearly twenty years ago I went to my friend's home for a visit. As he opened the front door, I was met with a wonderful aroma that wafted up to my nose “What’s that smell?” I enquired. “Are you cooking or is it the Misses?”. “Oh it’s me” my friend Eddie answered. “Really, what are you cooking, it smells great?” “It’s my Creole Chicken, come on through and I’ll show you how it’s done". So I followed him into his kitchen and sat myself down on top of a tall white stool. “Right Albert, get comfy, I’m going to show you exactly how to cook ‘Creole Chicken’ using my grandma’s secret recipe”. “I’m comfy, but you’ll write down the ingredients for me when you’ve done, if that’s okay, not sure I'll remember” “Well, we’ll see because I don’t tell anyone, not the wife, the kids, family or friends; nobody knows what seasoning goes in; I’ll have to kill you if you find out, I’m only joking. “Oh, I’m glad to hear that! I could sit in the lounge with the kids until you’ve done” I suggested. “No, no it’ll be okay. Albert, you will be the first person on planet earth that I’ve told, let alone shown how to cook it. I don’t know why but I feel led to share it with you, but you have not to tell anyone, not even your misses”. “Okay, I won’t” I answered.

“The first thing I’m going to do is to mix the seasoning; I never measure anything, it comes with experience, but for you, I’ll write it out. Curry powder, but use mild, paprika and salt, that’s it. You then dowse the chicken in it; you can use breasts, off or on the bone or thighs; I’m using breast. Then I’m going to fry them once they’re coated. Do you have a duchy pan, Albert?” “No, but if got a non-stick wok, is that any good?” “Yes you can use that, but you’re better with a duchy pan, you’ll see why when I’ve finished frying the chicken. Whilst your frying the chicken, you’ll need to cut and dice one large union, like this”. I watched him dice his onion like a Michelin star chef. “I won’t be able to do it like that” I joked. “I know, but don’t chop it too big. Then get two cloves of garlic, again chop finely, or you could use a garlic crusher, either way, is good”. I watched Eddie as he gilded across the kitchen floor like a well-oiled machine, giving instructions as he went.

“That’s the chicken done, there’s enough for about six people; it’s the same process no matter how many your cooking for. You just have to master the order of doing things. Next put a kettle to boil, while its boiling, put your fried chicken in a Pirex dish. Now Albert, if you look here, you can see there are bits of chicken stuck to the bottom of the pan? "Yes!” “Now add a little oil to it and fry the unions, and while they fry put the boiling water into the remainder of the seasoning and stir. Now I’m adding the chopped garlic to the onions in the pan” I stood up to get a closer look as he poured in his hot seasoned water on top of the onion and garlic mix. He then gently stirred them together and then using his spatula he scraped the bottom of pan to lift the bits off.

Stepping back for the hob, he reached into a cupboard. “My two secret ingredients Albert” In his hand a he had a chicken oxo, that he began crumbling into the pan containing his hot seasoning, the garlic and onion. After a brief stir, I saw him turning the heat down, then grab a bottle of Ketchup. “Now this is what you would never think to put in; a big squirt of tomato Ketchup, but don’t ask me why I just follow what my grandma showed me. Now the sauce is ready”. Taking the duchy pan he began pouring the contents over the fried chicken sitting in the Pirex dish. “That’s it, all done, now I just put it in the oven to cook for thirty to forty minutes.

“Do you want to taste some I made earlier?” He asked me. I’m sure you can guess my answer. It was gorgeous. When I had finished eating, we sat and drank coffee whilst we chatted. “Right Albert, I’m throwing you out, I’ve got some work to catch up with. I’ve written out the ingredients for you with the order of cooking you need to follow and I don’t let anyone know what’s in it and how to cook it. So don’t leave that about” He stated handing it to me. “I won’t, I’ll burn it once I’m able to cook it on autopilot like you". "If you get stuck ring me”. “I will” and with that, we hugged and I left.

Now ten years on, not one person have I told. Cooking it is has been like riding a bike , you never forget. I’ve cooked it thousands of times; selling it as part of my Caribbean takeaway menu. It’s been tweaked, by me adding ‘Chicken Granules’ to thicken the sauce instead of cornflour. I have protected it, I have even re-named it as ‘Dad’s Delicious Chicken’. It’s been claimed as my own but I have never forgotten from where it came from; My friend Eddie.

Sadly, no, joyfully I’m glad to say that I have told and shown about three people how to prepare and cook ‘Creole Chicken’. Everybody that had asked me was flatly refused. That was until my stepdaughter gave birth to miracle twin girls. They were born premature and could fit in the palm of your hands. We didn’t think that they would survive, but they did. As they grew, their mother, who had constantly asked for the recipe one day said, “The girls want to know, not me the recipe for Dad’s Delicious Chicken”. So I answered; “ When they are old enough to ask me themselves I will tell them, but until then, no!”. I never thought anything of it again until two years later, the girl's mother cornered me and said, “ The girls want to ask you something, here they are” They both stood there acting shyly, their beautiful little faces looking up at me, their saucers like eyes staring lovingly at me. “Go on girls, ask,” said their mum pushing them both forward. “Can we have the err um err recipe for your chicken, please?” I’m so sorry Eddie, but I gave them your grandma’s secret recipe for ‘Creole chicken’. But whenever their mum cooked it, it was NEVER the same.