There’s no better way to welcome fall than with a cozy gathering of friends and family around a beautifully decorated table filled with comfort food. From the first sip of a smoky Mezcal cocktail to the aroma of freshly roasted vegetables and herbs, this farm-to-table dinner is brimming with character and flavor. Earthy ceramics and rustic arrangements of locally foraged blooms set the perfect scene, while each dish invites everyone to slow down, savor, and enjoy the simple pleasures of a good meal.
This dinner starts with an Arugula Salad with Grilled Corn, Shaved Radishes with Zucchini and Goat Cheese and served with a Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette. Buttermilk Brined Fried Chicken pairs nicely with Roasted Heirloom Carrots drizzled with Hot Honey. Peach Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Cream rounds out the meal for the perfect sweet treat.
We’re sharing a couple of our favorite recipes from this feast so you can bring the flavors—and the feeling—of this gathering into your own home.
Recipes by Sammie Laforce
Buttermilk Brined Fried Chicken
Dried spice mix
- 2 tablespoons white pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 5 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons fresh black pepper
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 teaspoons onion powder
- Palm kosher salt
Buttermilk Brine
- 4 cups buttermilk
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1/2 of spice mixture
Dredge
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Other Ingredients:
- Whole cut up chicken or 2 bone-in breasts, 2 thighs and 2 drumsticks
- 4 cups shortening
Directions:
Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag and pour buttermilk brine over top. Add fresh sage and store in the fridge. Marinate chicken in brine for up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking rack within a sheet pan for raw chicken and a second one for cooked chicken.
Add remaining spice mixture to flour mixture. Whisk together well.
Pull chicken out of buttermilk mixture and let it drip. Coat firmly in flour mixture and set on raw chicken rack. Complete each piece of chicken.
Heat shortening to 350 degrees in a large pot. (Our preference is a cast iron Dutch oven.) Place 2 to 3 pieces of chicken in oil and cook for 3–5 minutes per side. Place on the cooked chicken rack. Put cooked chicken in the oven to complete cooking for 15 minutes.
Let chicken rest for 5–10 minutes before serving!
Peach Bread Pudding
- 1 loaf brioche
- 5 fresh peaches
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Dice peaches. Place peaches, white sugar, and butter in a saucepan. Cook until sugar is dissolved and peaches are soft. Mix all other ingredients together. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan and add peach mixture, brioche pieces, and milk/egg/cream/spice mixture. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes, then cut and serve in ramekins.
Salted Caramel Cream Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature and cut into 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
Heat sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick amber-colored liquid. Be careful not to burn. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter slowly as the caramel will bubble rapidly. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted. If you notice the butter separating, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. Very slowly drizzle in heavy cream while stirring. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Caramel thickens as it cools.