August 2014 recipe -Taste USA

Friday, August 29, 2014

Fresh Tomato Sauce

How to make Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe - This sauce is also delicious with poached chicken breasts.

Makes 4 cups.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 large Bermuda onion, chopped
1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small carrot, chopped
1 quart chopped fresh tomatoes
1 large bay leaf
4 sprigs green celery tops
1 small thyme sprig or 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add garlic, onion, green pepper and carrot.

Saute 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until onion begins to brown lightly. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, celery, thyme, salt and black pepper.

Simmer slowly 40 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Codfish Balls with Fresh Tomato Sauce

How to make Codfish Balls with Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe - Codfish is one of the oldest of American foods. The Pilgrim Fathers practically lived on it. Each year as cold weather approached, they put away stores of meaty cod, carefully preserved with salt.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
Fresh-Tomato Sauce, opposite
1/2 pound shredded salt codfish
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups mashed potatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon grated onion
1/8 teaspoon each dried leaf thyme, ground nutmeg and red
(cayenne) pepper
Hot fat
Broiled bacon slices

Method:
Prepare Fresh-Tomato Sauce; set aside. Soak and drain codfish according to package directions. In a large bowl, beat egg and egg yolk until foamy.

Add fish and mashed potatoes, blending thoroughly.

Add cream, parsley, chives, onion, thyme, nutmeg and red pepper. In a deep heavy skillet, heat fat to 360F (180C) or until a 1-inch cube of bread turns golden brown in 60 seconds.

Drop codfish mixture by tablespoons into hot fat. Fry until brown, turning once. Drain well. Serve with broiled bacon slices and Fresh-Tomato Sauce.

Boston Scrod

How to make Boston Scrod recipe - Newcomers to the Boston area wonder what kind of fish this is. Scrod is the baby haddock or cod which weighs 2-1/2 pounds or less. Originally, the definition applied to any young fish that was prepared for "planking," that is, broiling on a wooden plank.

Ingredients:
1 (2-1/2-pound) baby haddock or cod
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
About 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
1/2 to 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Additional melted butter
Fresh lemon juice

Method:
Preheat broiler. Set the rack at highest level under broiler.

Clean fish, removing head, tail and backbone and leaving all skin intact so entire fish can be opened up flat.

Rinse fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Dip in about 1/4 cup melted butter or oil. Roll in fresh bread crumbs. Place on broiler rack or plank, flesh-side up; slip under broiler.

Broil 4 to 5 minutes or until fish is about half-cooked. Turn over and broil, skin-side up, until skin is lightly browned.

Turn again so flesh side is up and drizzle with additional melted butter; sprinkle with lemon juice.

Serve immediately. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Baked Walleye with Lemon and Cream

How to make Baked Walleye with Lemon and Cream Recipe - Use a pair of pliers to pluck out the small bones that stick out on the ridge of the fillets before assembling this dish.

Makes 4 servings

Method:
1 medium (1-1/2-pound) walleye, trout, or whitefish, filleted
3 bacon slices, chopped
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

Method:
Lightly grease a shallow baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Rinse fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place 1 fillet, skin-side down, in greased baking dish.

In a heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Add onion. Saute 2 minutes. Drain excess fat from skillet.

Add cream. Bring to a rolling boil; boil 1 minute. Add lemon juice, mustard and parsley. Spoon half of mixture over fish in baking dish. Top with second fillet, skin-side up.

Spoon remaining mixture over top of fish. Sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs.

Bake 25 minutes or until fish flakes. Serve hot.

Fried Catfish

How to make Fried Catfish Recipe - Along the Great River Road, which runs beside the Mississippi river from northern Minnesota to Southern Louisiana, there are restaurants that specialize in crusty, deep-fried catfish. Serve with Hush Puppies

Ingredients:
1 pound catfish fillets
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
Salt and red (cayenne) pepper to taste
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup yellow corn flour (masa is suitable)
Vegetable oil

Method:
Rinse catfish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife, cut fillets lengthwise along center to make long thin pieces.

In a shallow bowl, mix egg, milk and water. Add fish to milk mixture. In another bowl, blend mustard and garlic. Drain fish.

Roll in mustard mixture. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper. In another bowl, combine cornmeal and corn flour. Roll fish in cornmeal mixture until well-coated.

Heat oil to 375F (190C) or until a 1-inch cube of bread turns golden brown in 50 seconds.

Deep-fry fish in oil until golden, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on size of fish. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately. Makes about 4 servings.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Catfish Fillets Sauteed in Garlic Butter

How to make Catfish Fillets Sauteed in Garlic Butter Recipe - Catfish has no bones and a rather compact flesh so it takes about twice as long to cook in a pan as any other fish. Offer lemon wedges to squeeze over the fillets. To make an authentic meal, serve with steamed mixed greens such as collard greens or kale.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound catfish fillets
All-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
Lemon wedges

Method:
Rinse catfish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife, cut fillets lengthwise along center to make long thin pieces.

Dust with flour. In a heavy skillet, heat butter and olive oil. Add garlic. Saute 1 minute. Add fish fillets.

Saute over medium-high heat about 10 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Turkey Breast with Country Style Gravy

How to make Turkey Breast with Country Style Gravy Recipe - The turkey "tenderloin" is the boneless meat which separates from the turkey breast and has a silver membrane running through it.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 to 1-1/2 pounds turkey breast tenderloin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 pint whipping cream (1 cup)

Method:
Remove silver membrane from turkey tenderloins; in so doing you will cut each piece into 2 long narrow pieces.

Brush with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet, heat butter and oil. Add turkey.

Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes or until just cooked through, turning often. Do not overcook meat bor it will be dry. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining lemon juice and chicken broth to skillet.

Bring to a boil; scrape up brownings. Add cream. Boil until thickened and reduced by about half. Add salt and pepper. Add turkey to sauce. Cook only until heated to serving temperature.

Notes:
Turkey tenderloins are available in the poultry section of fresh-meat counters at supermarkets today. When the silver is removed, the meat will separate into two slender portions, about 3 to 4 ounces each. If you wish, you may cut boneless turkey breast into individual-sized pieces (about 4 ounces each) for this recipe. This cut of turkey cooks quickly so be careful not to overcook it or it will be dry. For a holiday buffet, serve this with Wild Rice & Pecan Dressing.

Corn Bread Stuffing

How to make Corn Bread Stuffing Recipe - This classic stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey starts with a recipe for corn bread. The sausage was added as a way to stretch the servings of turkey; it can be omitted.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 pint milk (2 cups)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 pound seasoned, bulk-type, breakfast sausage
2 tablespoons bacon fat
4 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 450F (230C).

Grease a 13" x 9" baking pan. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and baking powder. Stir in eggs, milk and melted butter until blended.

Spread in greased baking pan. Bake 30 minutes. Cool. Crumble cooled corn bread. In a medium-sized skillet, brown sausage over low heat until cooked
through, breaking it into pieces with a fork.

Add crumbled corn bread; remove from heat. In another skillet, heat bacon fat. Add onions and celery.

Saute until tender. Add to corn bread mixture. Add remaining seasonings. Use mixture to stuff a 12- to 15-pound turkey.

Roast Goose with Mashed Potato Dressing

How to make Roast Goose with Mashed Potato Dressing Recipe - Today, our choice is most likely a domesticated goose, grown for consumption. Because there is so much fat that drains off the goose, it is better to bake a dressing in a separate dish rather than to stuff the bird.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 (8- to 9-pound) goose
1 lemon, cut in half
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons coarse kosher-style salt
Applesauce

Mashed-Potato Dressing:
2 cups hot mashed potatoes
1-1/2 cups fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 cup chopped celery leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F (175C).

Thaw goose if frozen. Wash inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Rub goose with cut lemon. Place lemon halves inside cavity of goose.

Mix garlic and salt; rub over surface of goose. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Using a fork, pierce skin over breast of goose in several places. Roast goose 20 to 25 minutes per pound.

Pierce skin again during cooking to release fat into pan beneath. Meanwhile, prepare Mashed-Potato Dressing.

Place in oven 1 hour before goose is done. Bake 45 minutes, then remove cover. Bake dressing 15 minutes longer. Serve goose with dressing and applesauce.

To prepare Mashed-Potato Dressing:
In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, onion, eggs, salt, sage, celery leaves and parsley. Turn into a 1-quart baking dish; cover.

Chicken Livers and Wild Rice

How to make Chicken Livers and Wild Rice Recipe - Wild rice is not really a rice but is the seed of an aquatic wild grass which grows in marshy northern areas, particularly in northern Minnesota and Canada.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
2-1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 medium-sized onion, minced
1/2 pound fresh (domestic or wild) mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, minced
1 pound chicken livers, cleaned, halved
2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Wash rice in 3 changes of hot tap water; drain.

Place in a 2-quart saucepan. Add water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 35 to 40 minutes or until rice is tender but not mushy. Drain off any excess water.

In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion, mushrooms and green pepper. Saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in cooked rice. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Remove onto a warm serving platter if you need to use same skillet for cooking chicken livers. In heavy skillet, heat remaining butter over medium-high heat. Dust chicken livers on all sides with flour.

Add to hot butter. Cook quickly until browned but not overdone. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

Serve hot chicken livers over wild-rice mixture. Makes 6 main-dish servings or 8 to 12 first-course servings.

Georgia Country Captain

How to make Georgia Country Captain Recipe - Georgians claim this dish as their own. According to legend, a mysterious captain drifted into Savannah through involvement in the spice trade and entrusted this recipe to his Southern friends.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (5-pound) stewing chicken
2 quarts water
4 to 5 fresh sprigs thyme or marjoram
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-sized onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 (16-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, or 1 quart home-canned tomatoes
2 to 6 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon each ground thyme, salt and sugar
1/8 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper
1/2 cup dried currants
1 cup blanched whole almonds
Additional currants
Cooked brown or wild rice
Chopped peanuts
Shredded coconut
Chutney, purchased or homemade

Method:
Place chicken in a large pot. Add water and fresh herb sprigs. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove from broth; strain broth. Return broth to pot and boil down until it measure 3 cups. Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Pull meat into large shreds; refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). In a large heavy skillet, heat oil. Add onions, garlic and green pepper. Saute about 5 minutes or until soft. Add tomatoes with juice. Cook 5 minutes.

Stir in curry powder, ground thyme, salt, sugar, red pepper and 1/2 cup currants. Simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken. Turn into a 3-quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle with almonds and additional currants. Serve over cooked rice. Add chopped peanuts, coconut and chutney to each individual serving.

Note:
As with many recipes where chicken is cooked and then boned, the work can be done ahead in stages and the components of the dish assembled and reheated at serving time.

Chicken Jambalaya Creole

How to make Chicken Jambalaya Creole Recipe - Jambalaya can be made with beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, oysters, crayfish, alone or in any combination. It includes onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes and spices as well as rice. Spiciness is negotiable, but Creole cooking tends to be a little less spicy than Cajun.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 (5-pound) stewing chicken, cut up
2 quarts water
4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme, marjoram or parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt, red (cayenne) pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste
1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 large onions, sliced lengthwise
3 celery stalks, cut julienne
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 (15- to 16-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 cup buttered fresh bread crumbs
Chopped fresh parsley

Method:
Place chicken in a large pot.

Add water, fresh herb sprigs and bay leaves. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove from broth; strain broth. Return broth to pot and boil down until it measure 3 cups.

Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Pull meat into large shreds; refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 3-quart casserole.

Taste broth and add salt, red pepper and nutmeg. In a large skillet, heat butter. Add garlic, onions, celery and green pepper. Saute 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are limp but not browned.

Add rice, tomatoes and chicken. Bake, covered, 45 minutes or until rice is tender. Top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake, covered, 15 minutes longer.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Note:
To make buttered bread crumbs, combine 1 cup soft bread crumbs and 3 to 4 tablespoons melted butter in a skillet. Saute until bread crumbs are coated with butter and lightly browned.

Maryland Sweet and Sour Chicken Salad

How to make Maryland Sweet and Sour Chicken Salad Recipe - Is a simple chicken salad can be the main dish for a picnic, wedding reception or almost any kind of occasion where a number of friends and family gather for an event. This salad will serve about 20 people.

Makes 18 to 20 servings

Ingredients:
3 (3-pound) frying chickens, cut up
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 cup water
1-1/4 cups cider vinegar
2 teaspoons butter
6 cups diced celery
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Place chicken in a large pot.

Add boiling water to cover. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Cool chicken in broth. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken.

Cut meat into bite-sized pieces; refrigerate. In a medium-sized heavy saucepan, combine sugar, flour and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt. Add eggs and mustard. Whisk until blended.

Add water and vinegar. Place over low heat. Cook 10 minutes over low heat, whisking until smooth and about the consistency of whipping cream.

Remove from heat; whisk in butter. Cool 5 to 10 minutes. Pour dressing over chicken.

Marinate in refrigerator at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Add celery, mayonnaise, salt and pepper to chicken mixture. Toss well and serve.

Cape Cod Chicken Pie

How to make Cape Cod Chicken Pie Recipe - From all outward appearances, this could as well be an apple pie. It was and still is, a custom to bake boned well-seasoned chicken between two pastry crusts.

Ingredients:
1 (5-pound) stewing chicken
1-1/2 quarts water
2 teaspoons salt
1 small onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 celery stalk
Dough for Basic Foolproof Lard Crust, see recipe
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Place chicken in a large pot. Add water, 2 teaspoons salt, onion, carrot and celery.

Simmer, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove from broth; strain and reserve broth. Place chicken on a rack in a bowl; cool enough to handle.

Prepare dough and refrigerate 30 minutes before rolling out.

Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Cut meat into small pieces; refrigerate. In a cup, blend flour, onion salt, celery salt, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup reserved chicken broth until smooth.

In a large heavy saucepan, bring 3 cups chicken broth to a boil. Add flour mixture, beating with a whisk to prevent lumping. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until mixture is thickened and smooth.

Add chicken. Preheat oven to 400F (205C). On a lightly floured board, roll out half of dough to fit a 9-inch, deep-dish, pie pan. Line pan with dough. Fill
with chicken mixture.

Roll out remaining dough for top crust. Cover chicken mixture with top crust. Seal and flute edges.

Make several slits for steam to escape around edge of top crust. Bake 45 minutes or until browned. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: Remaining broth may be frozen or used to make a gravy to serve with the pie.

Gravy is spooned over each wedge of pie at the table. Chicken pie has always been a favorite at Grange suppers and other community meals. Sometimes the pies were baked with a lattice-work crust on top. Cranberry sauce, made with chopped raw berries and chopped raw orange is often served with the pie.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Smothered Chicken with Mushrooms

How to make Smothered Chicken with Mushrooms Recipe - Sunday chicken dinner on the farm was often prepared this way.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (2-1/2- to 3-pound) frying chicken, cut up
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk
Chopped fresh parsley

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F (175C).

Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Pull off any excess fat from chicken. To further reduce caloric count, remove skin.

Sprinkle pieces with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet, heat butter and oil over high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down. Brown on 1 side then turn over. Remove from skillet to a shallow casserole, laying chicken in a single layer.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add onion and mushrooms to skillet. Saute over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in flour, then chicken broth, whisking until sauce is thickened. Simmer 3 minutes. Add cream or milk.

Pour sauce over chicken in casserole. Bake, covered, 20 minutes.

Remove cover and continue baking 30 minutes longer or until chicken is tender but not falling apart. Before serving, spoon off excess surface fat and spoon pan gravy over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Notes:
The chicken pieces are first browned in butter and oil. The thickened sauce starts with the pan drippings and
takes just a couple of minutes to make. Then it is poured over the chicken which finishes its cooking in the oven. The result is chicken that's succulent and juicy, baked beneath a mushroom sauce. When canned soups arrived on the American scene, cooks began using cream of mushroom soup and the taste was never the same!

Paprika Chicken

How to make Paprika Chicken Recipe - Chicken, an expensive dish of the past, is now our most abundant fowl. Paprika Chicken is served with a freshly made noodle called spatzle.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (2-1/2- to 3-pound) frying chicken, cut up
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
Spatzle, see recipe

Method:
Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

In a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat butter. Add chicken pieces, a few at a time, and starting with legs and thighs. Brown over medium heat on all sides.

Add garlic as you brown chicken. Drain off excess fat. Add onion, paprika, tomato paste and chicken broth. Cook, covered, over low heat 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Add green pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes longer. Degrease drippings again, if necessary. Remove chicken to a warm platter. Stir sour cream into pan juices.

Pour over chicken. Serve over warm Spatzle.

Chicken and Dumplings

How to make Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - This is probably one of the favorite original "one-pot meals" in American cooking. Dumpling dough or batter bakes right on top of the stewed chicken in a covered pot.

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (3-1/2-pound) chicken, cut up
1-1/2 quarts water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small onion, quartered
1 small carrot, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks with leaves, cut into chunks
3 tablespoons butter or chicken fat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup half and half
White pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley

Dumplings:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon melted shortening
1/3 cup milk

Method:
Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a large pot. Add water, salt, black pepper, onion, carrot and celery. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove from broth; strain and reserve broth. Place chicken on a rack in a bowl; cool enough to handle. Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken.

Dice meat; refrigerate. In a large heavy saucepan, heat butter or chicken fat. Stir in flour and paprika. Gradually add 3 cups reserved chicken broth, stirring until thickened and smooth.

Cook 2 minutes. Add half and half and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Return chicken to sauce.

Prepare Dumplings. Dip a teaspoon into cold water, then spoon teaspoonfuls of batter on top of simmering chicken mixture.

Cook, covered, 15 minutes without lifting lid. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

To prepare Dumplings:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Blend in shortening and milk; mix well.

Notes:
What is considered a "dumpling" is different from one area of the country to another. Dumplings may take the form of a fresh noodle, spatzle, as in Hungarian and German cuisine, or a dumpling may be made of a dough similar to baking-powder biscuits as in this recipe.

It is important when making dumplings leavened with baking powder that you cover the pot and allow the dumplings to steam for 15 minutes without lifting the lid or the dumplings will be doughy rather than light and fluffy.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Skillet Fried Chicken

How to make Skillet Fried Chicken Recipe - In the South, the first thought for a quick and easy dinner is to "fry up a chicken." This is how it is done.

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (2-1/2 to 3-pound) frying chicken, cut up
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or shortening

Method:
Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

In a paper or plastic bag, combine flour, salt, paprika and pepper. Drop chicken pieces, 2 at a time, into bag.

Shake until each piece is thoroughly coated with flour.

In a large heavy skillet, heat oil or shortening. Add chicken. Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning pieces to brown evenly.

Reduce heat and cover. Cook 30 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 to 15 minutes longer. Chicken is done when juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Oven Fried Chicken

How to make Oven Fried Chicken Recipe - In the days of the Old West, the usual question from the waitress at an inn was, "What will you have? Brown meal and common doings, or white wheat and chicken fixings?" Translated that is, "Will you have pork and brown bread or white bread and fried chicken?"

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (2-1/2- to 3-pound) frying chicken, cut up
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup melted butter
3 cups corn flakes

Method:
Preheat oven to 375F (190C).

Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush each piece of chicken with melted butter.

Crush corn flakes; put on a plate. Roll chicken pieces in corn flakes. Place chicken, skin-side up, in a shallow baking pan.

Bake 50 minutes or until chicken is tender and golden.

Southern Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

How to make Southern Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy Recipe - Gravy is made from the drippings in the pan. Some cooks prefer to use milk, some use water, and in our variation we use a combination of chicken broth and cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (2-1/2-pound) frying chicken, cut up
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat (all lard or 1/2 lard, 1/2 vegetable oil or shortening)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
About 1/2 cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.

Put 1 cup flour in a paper or plastic bag. Drop chicken pieces, 2 at a time, into bag. Shake until each piece is thoroughly coated with flour. Lay chicken on a sheet of waxed paper.

Preheat oven to 300F (150C). In a large heavy skillet, heat fat. Fat should be 1/4 inch deep.

Reduce heat to medium-high. Add legs and thighs, skin-side down. Fat should sizzle when chicken is added, but should not be so hot that chicken burns. Brown legs and thighs 7 to 8 minutes or until deep brown on 1 side.

Turn and brown on second side, about 7 minutes. Line a baking sheet with brown paper. Remove chicken to baking sheet. Place in oven while you continue browning remaining chicken pieces.

Bake chicken 30 minutes after last pieces have been browned. Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir until combined.

Whisk in chicken broth and cream. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until gravy is thickened and smooth. If it is too thick, stir in a little more cream to thin. Strain gravy through a fine sieve, if desired.

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Place fried chicken on a warm serving platter. Serve gravy with chicken.