Chef Marcus Samuelsson's Harlem-Approved Fried Chicken

FOR THE RAINBOW SLAW

• ¼ head red cabbage
• ¼ head Napa cabbage
• 2 thin carrots, peeled
• 1 red onion, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Segments and juice of 1 grapefruit

Segments and juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon raisins

Chile powder

Celery salt

Kosher salt

FOR THE FRIED CHICKEN

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
• 16 fresh sage leaves, torn
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup semolina flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Peanut oil, for frying

• 1 garlic bulb

Lemon wedges, for garnish

1. MAKE THE RAINBOW SLAW1. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Brush the cabbages, carrots, and onion with the olive oil and then grill, turning a few times for even cooking. You’re looking to soften the vegetables and to get some good grill marks. The Napa cabbage should take about 5 minutes; the rest, about 10 minutes. (You can also do this indoors on a grill pan.)
2. 2. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, shred the cabbages and chop the carrots and onion.
3. 3. Mix the grapefruit segments and juice, orange segments and juice, lemon juice, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, and raisins in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onion and toss. Season to taste with chile powder, celery salt, and salt. Cover and refrigerate.
4. MAKE THE FRIED CHICKEN 4. Dissolve the salt in the water in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1½ hours.
5. 5. Remove the chicken from the brine, carefully separate the skin from the flesh, and place the torn sage leaves underneath the skin. Pat the skin back down.
6. 6. Discard the brine and, in the same bowl, combine the buttermilk, Tabasco, black pepper, chile powder, and ½ teaspoon of the celery salt. Add the chicken, making sure it’s covered with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
7. 7. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you’re ready to fry. In a shallow bowl, whisk the flours, cornstarch, and remaining ½ teaspoon celery salt.
8. 8. Fill an 8-quart pot half full with peanut oil and heat it to 340°F. Slice off and discard the top quarter of the garlic bulb; put the large piece in the hot oil. When the garlic is a rich golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, remove it and drain it on a rack.
9. 9. Wipe the excess marinade off the chicken and roll in the flour mixture; shake off the excess. Fry the chicken for 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a rack set over a baking sheet and let it rest for 15 minutes.
10. 10. Heat the oil to 360°F and fry the chicken again, until the crust is a deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
11. 11. Serve the chicken with lemon wedges and rainbow slaw and the garlic.
12. “Double the recipe if you’re serving a crowd or if you want leftovers. There’s nothing better than leftover fried chicken. Eat it cold, turn it into a salad, or make Chicken and Gravy.”