Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food by Rick Rodgers

Author:Rick Rodgers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Weldon Owen

Back in the day, Swiss steak was a supermarket staple. You would pick out a round steak and the butcher would put it through the “Swissing” machine, a contraption that perforated the tough meat to tenderize it. Nowadays, Swiss steaks, sometimes labeled “cube steaks,” are harder to find, but this dish makes the search worthwhile.

CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK WITH GRAVY

Makes 4 servings

Swiss steak or cube steak, 1½ pounds (750 g), no more than ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

All-purpose flour, 1¼ cups (6½ oz/200 g) plus 2 tablespoons

Whole milk, 2½ cups (20 fl oz/625 ml)

Large eggs, 2

Canola oil, for frying

Cut the steak into 4 equal pieces. Season the steaks with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a shallow bowl, combine the 1¼ cups (6½ oz/200 g) flour with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) of the milk and the eggs. One at a time, coat the steak pieces with the flour mixture, shaking off the excess, then dip into the egg mixture, coating evenly and allowing the excess to drip off. Return to the flour mixture to coat evenly, again shaking off the excess. Transfer the coated steak pieces to a plate.

Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C). Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and place near the stove. Pour canola oil to a depth of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) into a large, heavy frying pan (preferably cast iron), and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the steaks and cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 1½ minutes, then turn and cook until the other sides are browned, about 1½ minutes more. Transfer to the rack and keep warm in the oven while making the gravy.

Carefully pour the hot fat from the frying pan into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan with paper towels. In a saucepan, heat the remaining 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) milk over medium heat to just below a boil and remove from the heat. Return 2 tablespoons of the fat to the pan and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour and let bubble gently for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot milk and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking frequently, until lightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a sauceboat. Serve the steaks at once, passing the gravy on the side.

Change it up Be sure to make Buttery Mashed Potatoes (see recipe), so you can pour a ridiculous amount of the gravy on top. For a spicy version, heat things up with smoky ground chipotle chile. Add ⅛ teaspoon of the ground chile to the steak seasoning and ⅛ teaspoon to the gravy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.