Ingredients

• 50g/1¾oz salt
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 500ml/18fl oz buttermilk
• vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 75g/2½oz fresh pineapple chunks
• 180ml/6fl oz cider vinegar
• ¼ head purple cabbage
• thinly shredded
• 6 chipotle chillies in adobo sauce
• julienned
• 6 jalapeno chillies
• seeds and viens removed
• finely julienned
• 2 carrots
• shaved into ribbons using a peeler
• 6 garlic cloves
• peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 white onion
• thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Mexican oregano (or 1 tbsp Mediterranean oregano)
• 1 tbsp salt
• 150g/5½oz yellow coarse polenta
• 150g/5½oz plain flour
• 50g/1¾oz light brown sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 10g salt
• 2 free-range eggs
• 240ml//8½fl oz milk
• 15g/½oz butter
• clear honey
• to taste
• 2 tbsp lard
• 200g/7oz flour
• 100g/3½oz rice flour
• 4 tbsp cornflour
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions

• For the chicken
• dissolve the salt in 1 litre/1¾ pints water. Submerge the chicken in the brine and chill in the fridge for 24 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the brine. In a new container
• cover the chicken completely with the buttermilk. Chill in the fridge for another 24-48 hours.
• For the coleslaw
• put the pineapple and cider vinegar in a blender. Blend until smooth
• then strain.
• Combine all the remaining coleslaw ingredients. Use your hands to massage the salt into the vegetables to break them down slightly. Add the cider mixture and massage a little more. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. Taste and season with salt if necessary before serving.
• When you are ready to cook
• preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
• For the cornbread
• mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then mix all of the wet ingredients in a separate bowl or jug. Combine the two and mix until smooth.
• Melt the lard in a cast-iron skillet or ovenproof frying pan (alternatively melt the lard in a pan and use it to grease a 20cm/8in cake tin). Add the cornbread batter and bake for 15 minutes
• or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Spread with butter and honey
• to taste.
• For the chicken
• fill a deep-fat fryer or a large
• deep
• heavy-bottomed pan two-thirds full with vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 165C. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended)
• Put all the ingredients for the flour dredge in a large plastic food bag and mix. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk
• put it in the bag with the flour and shake to coat.
• Deep-fry the chicken until golden-brown and cooked through. Place on kitchen roll to drain.
• Serve the chicken and coleslaw on plates with the cornbread on the side.