I can't believe it's over two weeks into 2011! Time goes by too quickly (unless I'm at work).
I know a lot of you have made healthy eating New Year's resolutions. My lack of willpower prevents me from sticking with any resolutions so I gave up on them long ago, as I'm sure you can tell by this photo. It's dinner a few nights ago - chicken fried steak, egg and fried potatoes. If I keep this up I will have to have a team of cardiologists on speed dial! But boy oh boy was it tasty. I only make this about twice a year since the frying makes such a mess. I can never remember to get out the splatter screen until after I have already splattered the cooktop.
Until I read the article by Cook's Illustrated, I never knew how to make chicken fried steak. I imagined it was difficult. It isn't, although as I mentioned it is messy.
Basically you take cube steak (can anyone enlighten me as to what cut of meat that is? I know they put it through the "tenderizing maching" but is it chuck? round? woodchuck?), flour it, dip it in a thick batter of buttermilk, egg and baking soda, then dredge it again in the seasoned flour and fry it. The gravy, which I love but my husband does not, is butter, onion, milk, thyme and s&p thickened with flour. I could eat that gravy by the spoonful but then again I love onions and thyme.
Here's to a healthy 2011!
Yum, nothing wrong with a treat every now and then. Have not yet tried Cook's recipe for chicken fried steak but it's on the list after seeing your photo. Usually cube steak is tenderized round.
Next time try your white gravy the southern way with tiny sausage bits, (well seasoned sausage with lots of sage and some heat), roux from the sausage drippings and half and half (or at least half volume of milk as half and half). Heavenly :) Of course that gravy is good all by itself on a biscuit too (probably would be luscious on a piece of hard tack, lol) but is delightful on CFS because you are not expecting that flavor combo. Sausage is sort of like bacon, irresistible unless you are veg, of course. :)
Posted by: Kathleen W | January 17, 2011 at 10:14 PM
Off topic, but I thought of you http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2R5x6a/www.foodiewithfamily.com/blog/2011/01/17/bacon-jam-a-k-a-oooh-mommy-jam/
Posted by: Warner aka ntsc | January 18, 2011 at 01:19 PM
Darcie, cube steak is usually round steak or sirloin. :) Chicken fried steak is one of my favorites, but I rarely cook it. Yours looks divine!
Posted by: Lauren | January 20, 2011 at 12:04 PM