Grapefruit Peels as fried chicken (Bistec de Toronja)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This fried chicken hack is definitely going to test your skills in the kitchen and help you learn something new. And it's impossible to go wrong with breaded and fried food! Note: Save the pulp for fruit juice or fruit salad
Author: The Edgy Veg
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Cuban
Serves: 8-12 pieces
Ingredients
- 2-3 red or pink grapefruits
- 2 cups double strength vegetarian chicken-style broth
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 eggs worth of egg replacer (I used The Vegg Baking mix)
- ½ tsp sea salt+ extra for seasoning
- ½ tsp black grounded pepper + extra for seasoning
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 cup bread crumbs
Instructions
- Peel the grapefruit and cut it in half. Separate the pulp from the piths (the piths will be used to cook the “chicken”) with a spoon and your fingers. Try to keep the piths in one piece when cutting them off the fruit. Also, try the best you can not to get juice onto the grapefruit.
- Cut the piths in half, they will be roughly the size of a normal schnitzel.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the piths for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the piths from the water and squeeze almost all the water out of the pith (without squishing it) and then repeat 4-5 times with COLD water, until the pith is no longer extremely bitter. You will have to be very careful not to over cook it, or else the texture will become literal mush.
- Transfer the piths to a bowl, and cover with the double strength broth. Try to allow the piths to marinate for 1-hour or overnight for best results.
- Remove the piths from the broth and allow to drain. The piths are very absorbent, so make sure you squeeze out all the marinade. You want the pieces to be almost DRY, otherwise the frying experience with be horrible, and you'll have soggy pieces.
- Rub both sides of the piths with minced garlic and season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the egg replacer, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and dried parsley together.
- Dip the piths in the mixture, and then cover both sides in bread crumbs and place on a cooling rack to rest.
- Heat up your oil to 365F, and line a baking sheet, as the peels rest.
- Carefully lower the peels into the hot oil, cooking in batches.
- Fry until golden brown, and heated through, about 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Serve immediately with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Recipe by The Edgy Veg at https://www.theedgyveg.com/2019/07/10/vegan-fried-chicken-grapefruit-peels-bistec-de-toronja/