SUNDAY DINNER MENU:
Chicken-Fried Chicken Steaks and Gravy
Grandma Boyces Irish Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Corn (using frozen corn)
Fruit Salad with Chantilly (Sort-of!) Cream
A hearty meal for Sunday dinner with some great left-overs -yum!
CHICKEN-FRIED CHICKEN STEAKS
Instead of dealing with all sorts of varying chicken parts that cook at different rates, Ive started frying only boned and skinned breasts. These are great for dinner. Leftovers can be cut into strips and mixed into your salad at lunch the next day.
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 1/4 tsp salt, divided use
1 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided use
1 sleeve of saltine crackers, finely crushed
1 1/4 cups flour, divided use
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
4 cups milk, divided use
2 eggs
Peanut oil (for frying)
Put breasts between 2 pieces plastic wrap and pound to a 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside.
Mix cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and red pepper; place on a large plate or in a shallow bowl. (If youre out of saltines, just use the peppery flour to coat the chicken.) In another bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup milk and eggs.
Dredge chicken breasts in cracker crumbs, dip in egg/milk mixture, then dredge in cracker mixture again. Place on rack and chill 30-60 minutes in refrigerator.
Pour oil into 12-inch skillet to 1/2-inch depth. Heat to 360 degrees F, checking with a thermometer if not using an electric skillet.
Fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes on the first side, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4-5 minutes more or until golden brown. Put on wire rack over jelly roll pan and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven.
Carefully drain hot oil and reserve cooked bits and 2 Tbsp of the oil in skillet.
TO MAKE THE CHICKEN-FRIED CHICKEN GRAVY:
Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, and the remaining 3 1/4 cup milk. Pour into reserved drippings in skillet. Cook over medium high heat, whisking constantly, 10-12 minutes, or until thickened and smooth.
Serve gravy with chicken (mashed potatoes are good, too!) and biscuits.
GRANDMA BOYCES IRISH MASHED POTATOES
Besides being an Irish immigrant and a master (mistress?) of potatoes, my grandmother-in-law was also a professional cook. Just about everything she made, she changed a wee bit to make it taste better like these potatoes. Theyre regular old mashed, but with a better than average taste.
2 lbs starchy potatoes
2 tsp table salt
1 medium slice onion (about 1/2-inch thick)
Milk (as needed)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 to 2 tsp Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper (can use black pepper if thats all youve got)
Peel and cut potatoes into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Place potatoes in a pan and add water to an inch below the tops of the potatoes, add table salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat about 7-10 minutes, or until just tender.
While potatoes are cooking: on cutting board, with very sharp knife, chop the onion slice. Chop and chop and chop, until all pieces are smaller than the eye can see, and onion juice stands on the board. Set aside.
Heat milk and butter (see how below). Set aside.
Drain potatoes well. With cover cracked over the potato pan, replace over low heat until wisps of steam come from pan, and the bottom of the pan develops a thick starchy film, shaking pan occasionally.
Remove potatoes to a large bowl set on a towel. Mash until smooth. Stir in chopped onions and its juices. Stir in kosher salt to taste, and pepper.
Pour milk and butter mixture by increments into potatoes, whipping with an electric mixer until of desired consistency. Be careful not to overbeat and make potatoes glue-like. Heat more milk, if necessary, to add to mixture. Taste and correct seasonings. Serve immediately.
Heating the butter and milk: Grandma Boyce heated this in the same saucepan she had cooked the potatoes in, but try the following quick method: In a microwave-proof measuring cup, heat butter, covered with enough milk to equal 1 1/4 c, in the microwave until hot but not boiling, about 2 minutes at 100% power.
Now thats Irish!
SWEET CORN
Until the real thing comes into season, I make do with frozen corn that's cooked in sweetened water.
2 cups frozen white corn
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp salted butter
Freshly ground pepper
Water
Place all ingredients except butter and pepper in 2 qt saucepan; add water to just below top of corn. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Drain, and add butter and pepper and gently mix - serve steaming hot.
FRUIT SALAD WITH CHANTILLY (SORT-OF!) CREAM
2 cups slivered fresh pineapple
2 cups hulled, sliced strawberries
2 cups raspberries, rinsed and patted dry
1 tbsp candied ginger, slivered
Zest from 1/2 medium lemon
FOR THE CHANTILLY CREAM:
1 pint heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Combine fruit in large bowl. Top with ginger and zest; set aside in refrigerator.
Whip cream in chilled bowl with chilled beaters on electric mixer until it holds soft peaks, then beat in sugar and vanilla. Fold in sour cream. Chill one hour. Serve with fruit salad.
