South Carolina - The Palmetto State, State flower: Carolina Jessamin

1. Mixed Green and Watercress Salad
2. Charleston Benne Chicken
3. Green Peas with Pearl Onions and Mushrooms
4. Lady Baltimore Cake

Charleston Benne Chicken

1 frying chicken, 1-½ to 3 lbs
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup flour
1 Tbsp salt
¼ twp cayenne
¼ tsp black pepper
2 oranges
2 Tbsp bacon fat
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup cream
1-½ cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 325º

Cut chicken into serving pieces. In a paper bag combine ¼ cup sesame seeds, flour, salt, cayenne and black pepper. Grate rind from oranges and add to flour-sesame mixture. Shake one piece of chicken at a time, coating thoroughly with contents of bag. Over low heat, brown chicken pieces in bacon fat.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan; stir in 1 Tbsp of the flour-sesame mixture remaining in the bag, then gradually add cream and stock, making sure no lumps form. Squeeze juice from the oranges and slowly add to the sauce; when the sauce is thick and smooth add remaining ¼ cup of sesame seeds.

Transfer browned chicken to ovenproof casserole. Pour off all but 2 or 3 tablespoons of fat from skillet, then scrape up browned bits and add them to the orange sauce from the saucepan; blend well before pouring over chicken. Cover and bake for 45 minutes; remove cover and bake for 15 minutes more.

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