Jason Santos’s first cookbook is a collection of Buttermilk & Bourbon’s greatest hits
It's on shelves now.
Jason Santos will tell you he is “not a writer.” It’s an ironic sentiment for a newly-minted cookbook author, but the executive chef and owner of Abby Lane, Buttermilk & Bourbon, and Citrus & Salt said he “never really wanted” to write one.
“It was more like I felt like I needed to have a cookbook,” Santos elaborated. “I’d had some opportunities in the past; I just wasn’t ready.”
A book based off of his passion project, however, felt right. “Buttermilk & Bourbon: New Orleans Recipes with a Modern Flair” debuted on March 26. The 192-page project shares a name with his Southern-inspired restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue, an idea that originated when his wife took him to New Orleans for the first time four or five years ago.
“We went and we ate and ate and ate and ate. I literally fell in love with the city,” Santos remembered. “I just loved everything, from the food to the hospitality.”
He’s been whipping up bites inspired by that trip — and subsequent returns — since the restaurant’s opening two years ago, and said the book features some of its “greatest hits.”
The cover of “Buttermilk & Bourbon.”
Across 11 chapters, the “Buttermilk & Bourbon” covers brunch, comfort foods, sweets, and more. A cocktail chapter provides steps to create a “Cajun Bloody Mary,” as well as a ginger bourbon concoction with honey-strawberry syrup called a “Garden District.” Recipes for barbecue shrimp with jalapeno grits and Flamin’ Hot Cheeto mac and cheese are also included, as well as “Literally the Best Fried Chicken Wings in the History of Chicken.”
“I think plenty of chefs make food that they hope is the best, but realistically we all know there’s probably some fried chicken somewhere that’s way better,” Santos said.
But in the case of his honey-glazed biscuits (also featured in the cookbook), it’s a different story.
“The biscuits are something that I worked on for, like, a year. I mean, every day I made another batch and adjusted the recipe to what I thought was the best biscuit I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’ve never had a better biscuit in my life. I look forward to having one better than mine, because I’m going to start over if that’s the case.”
And for home cooks tentative about mixing and sauteing their way through the restaurant’s recipes, Santos assures that the dishes can be easily created at home.
“What I like about the book is it’s not too conservative, not too chef-driven,” he said. “It’s simple food — it’s fried chicken; it’s biscuits — but it’s done in an artistic way to give you that restaurant quality.”
“Buttermilk & Bourbon” is available to order from Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Indiebound, and Walmart.
To try your hand at a Southern-fused Santos recipe, you can attempt the one provided below. It makes four servings of fried chicken with refried red beans, shaved mushroom salad, and white barbecue sauce.
Signature Fried Chicken
with Refried Red Beans, Shaved Mushroom Salad, and White Barbecue Sauce
serves 4
Buttermilk & Bourbon fried chicken.
Chicken Thighs
Ingredients:8 each boneless and skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat 2 cups buttermilk2 tablespoons hot sauce (Frank’s or Crystal)2 teaspoons Cajun spiceCanola oil for fryingSalt and pepper, to tasteDirections: Mix the buttermilk, hot sauce, and Cajun spice and pour over chicken thighs. Marinade for a minimum of four hours, but best overnight. Once ready, remove chicken from marinade and toss in fry dredge (see below) until completely coated. In either a medium size pot or a cast iron pan, heat canola oil to 350 degrees Farenheit. Carefully add chicken to the oil and cook for 10-12 minutes. When done, remove chicken from oil and season. Place atop refried red beans (see below), top with mushroom salad (see below), and drizzle with white barbecue sauce (see below).
Fry Dredge
Ingredients:2 cups masa harina flour2 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons lemon pepper1 tablespoon granulated garlic 2 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon Zatarin’s seasoning1 teaspoon black pepper, ground½ teaspoon chile flakes½ teaspoon dried oregano¼ teaspoon cayenne pepperDirections:Mix well
Refried Red Beans
Ingredients:1 cup Spanish onion, diced2 tablespoon garlic, minced½ cup lard1 teaspoon Cajun spicetwo 15-ounce cans red beans, drained and rinsed¼ cup green onions, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a heavy bottomed pot, sauté the onion and garlic in lard until soft, then add red beans and Cajun spice and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove half of mixture and puree, and then fold it back in with the green onions. Season with salt and pepper.
Shaved Mushroom Salad
Ingredients:8 each cremini mushrooms, shaved on a mandolin or sliced very thin2 each radishes, shaved on a mandolin or sliced very thin ¼ cup parsley leaves¼ cup chive batons2 tablespoons minced red onion2 tablespoons vinaigretteSalt and pepper, to tasteDirections:Mix and season with salt and pepper
White BBQ Sauce
Ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise1 tablespoon prepared horseradish1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon coarse grind black pepper 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard1 tablespoon granulated garlic2 tablespoons cider vinegar2 tablespoons lemon juice2 tablespoons light brown sugar2 tablespoons cayenne pepper1/8 teaspoon cumin, ground1/8 teaspoon chili powder1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauceDirections:Mix
