“Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.”
― Henry David Thoreau
― Henry David Thoreau
February 22nd & 23rd, 2012
I look like a dragqueen beaten by a Grizzly Bear, dragged through the remnants of last nights Mardi-Gras festivities, dunked in an evening of tossing in turning . . . my insomnia won this round yet again. Some things never change, at least the coffee is a drastic improvement here at Chateau Wagner. Ok, you’re right. It’s more like an Austrian bungalow decorated in minimalistic contemporary fashion by a Midwestern interior designer that was unfortunate enough to fall in love with a Wisconsinite and begrudgingly forced to move here following their Stanford graduation ceremony. It snowed last night. Six inches of fluffy, iridescent, Oxiclean white snow. The surrounding Red Oaks, Slippery Elms, Butternut and White Birch Trees snickering behind their neighboring Conifers backs and whispering to themselves, “We might be stark ass naked for half the year but those evergreen fools have a layer of this white shit on them for just as long!” I’m tucked away inside safely with the security of two fireplaces roaring away, the coals are still glowing car engine red from last nights bondage by bottle with my Dad. But I’m jumping ahead of myself . . two days off from the journal, let’s catch up where we left off.
The leg room was more than ample, a window seat with nobody sitting to my left. Best airline accommodations yet! Dad splurged the extra $20 to secure me the emergency exit seats. I ignored the procedural instructions carried out by our steward as my eyes worked from left to right like the long-lost typewriter hell bent on finishing the last two hundred and thirty-four pages of my book. We touched down mid-afternoon and raced through Milwaukee's modest little airport. My bad devoid of it’s usual nicotine and stepping out the sliding glass doors, half anticipating the shock of sub-zero weather . . . I was pleasantly surprised. Not that bad, I was actually able to feel my fingertips even after taking my time my ciggy.
After snagging my luggage, Dad and I set out on the 894 Interstate Freeway. The drive to Madison nothing less than conversation and a tore up stomach. Gas. Really bad gas that was trapped within my lower abdominal cavity and only after enduring the pain for what seemed an eternity, I turned to my father and said, “If we don’t pull-over at the next turn off I’m likely to explode, sending fragments of your son all of the interior of your Ford Taurus.” We pulled over, I bought an over-priced package of Alka-selzer, downed two of the white tablets, purchased a 1400 calorie Magic Bar (white chocolate, milk chocolate & butterscotch chips layered with coconut and a brown sugar-graham cracker crust), then we set back on course for home.
Fast forwarding through the remaining details, we met up with my Brother, Andy, his amazing grace wife, Sharon & their two girls Payton & Taylor. It was Sharon’s birthday so we went for pizza at a local joint. Pizza was awesome appropriately drenched in cheese, green olives & crispy apple-wood smoked bacon. Service was deplorable. The poor high school acne faced girl was working with negative four brain cells and forgot about the kids cheese pizza, my New Glarus “Spotted Cow” Pilsner and . . . I guess the pizza was suppose to be stuffed. In the end, everything worked out and we parted ways. Dad, Sailor Jerry and I stayed up pretty late catching up on the times, the lawsuit & family matters. That crisp star spattered night blended into morning and still somewhat foggy-headed; a consecutive string of bloggless days would lay ahead. But did we ever kick off our Father & Son Thursday with a good meal, the best f’kin chicken fried steak I’ve ever had. Part 2: the Redneck weekend blog is next . . .
With Culinary Blessings,
Chef Scotty
Country style Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
Ingredients
Steak and Gravy:
- 1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 (4-ounce) tenderized chicken breast (have butcher run them through cubing machine)
- 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Blend seasoning
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1 or 2 shots of Cream of Sherry
- 1 bunch green onions, or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
Basic Biscuits:
- 1 package yeast
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup solid shortening (recommended: Crisco)
- 2 cups buttermilk
Directions
Steak and Gravy: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle each side of the meat with the Montreal Steak & Lawry’s Seasoning then dredge the meat in buttermilk and then flour. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 4 of the cutlets to the hot oil and fry until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove each steak to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining breasts, adding up to 1/4 cup more oil, as needed.
Make the gravy by adding the 2 tablespoons remaining flour to the pan drippings, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the salt & the sherry. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly. Slowly add the whole milk stirring constantly. Return the steaks to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and place the onions on top of the steaks. Cover the pan, and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Split biscuits in half and top with country fried steak and drizzle with gravy.
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 (4-ounce) butterflied & tenderized chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Blend seasoning
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1 or 2 shots of Cream of Sherry
- 1 bunch green onions, or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
Basic Biscuits:
- 1 package yeast
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup solid shortening (recommended: Crisco)
- 2 cups buttermilk
Directions
Steak and Gravy: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle each side of the meat with the Montreal Steak & Lawry’s Seasoning then dredge the meat in buttermilk and then flour. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 4 of the cutlets to the hot oil and fry until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove each steak to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining breasts, adding up to 1/4 cup more oil, as needed.
Make the gravy by adding the 2 tablespoons remaining flour to the pan drippings, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the salt & the sherry. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly. Slowly add the whole milk stirring constantly. Return the steaks to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and place the onions on top of the steaks. Cover the pan, and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Split biscuits in half and top with country fried steak and drizzle with gravy.
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