Recipe calls for 16 (3 oz) skinless boned chicken breasts, about
1/2 to 3/4" thick, or eight (10 oz) bone-in leg-thigh pieces, or a
combination of these. Skin the leg-thigh pieces, then bone each
piece along the length of the two bones, leaving meat in one piece.
Trim off excess fat. Pound each breast or leg-thigh fillet to 1/2"
thick.
Let the chicken come to room temperature before blackening.
Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat until it is
extremely hot and just short of the point at which you see white
ash or a white spot forming in the skillet bottom, about 8 minutes.
The time will vary according to the intensity of the heat source.
Heat the serving plates in a 250°F oven.
Just before cooking each piece of chicken, dip it in the melted
butter so that both sides are well coated, then sprinkle each
fillet evenly with the seasoning mix, using about a rounded 1/2 ts
on each, and patting it in with your hands. If you lay the fillet
on a plate or other surface to season it, be sure the surface is
warm so the butter won't congeal and stick to the surface instead
of to the meat. Wipe the surface clean after seasoning each fillet.
Use any remaining seasoning mix in another recipe.
Immediately place the fillet skinned side down in the hot skillet,
making sure all meat folds are opened up and the meat is lying
flat. Pour about 1 ts butter on the top of the fillet. Be careful,
as the butter may flame up. If you cook more that 1 fillet at a
time, place each fillet in the skillet before buttering and
seasoning another one.
Cook uncovered over the same high heat until the underside forms a
crust, about 2 minutes. The time will vary according to the
thickness of the fillets and the heat of the skillet or fire; watch
the meat and you'll see a white line coming up the side as it
cooks. Turn the fillets over and pour about 1 ts more melted butter
on top of each. Cook just until meat is cooked through, about
2 minutes more. Serve the chicken fillets crustier side up while
piping hot.
Clean the skillet after cooking each batch and repeat the
blackening procedure with the remaining chicken fillets.
To serve, place 2 breast fillets or 1 leg-thigh fillet on each
heated serving plate. If you use a large serving platter, do not
stack the fillets.
Paul Prudhomme warns, "Blackening should be done either outdoors or
in a commercial kitchen. The process creates an incredible amount
of smoke that will set off your own and your neighbors' smoke
alarms. People with really well-installed commercial hood vents at
home have gotten away with blackening in their own kitchens. They
are privileged! Don't push your luck."
Paul Prudhomme introduces the blackening process with a couple of
pages of text which describe his purpose in creating the process,
the effect of the process and a list of eleven key elements for
successful blackening. Some of these are:
1) Blackening should be done either outdoors or in a commercial
kitchen because of the smoke generated.
2) A butane burner or gas grill will achieve the necessary high
heat.
3) Cast iron is the only suitable material for the skillet.
4) Skillet must be dry when heated.
5) Skillet must be hot, about 500°F.
