This is a heart attack on a plate.  I mean that in the best possible way.  The only way you could possibly make it more unhealthy is to serve it with a side of fried okra.  Hmmm.

Splurge at its finest?  Absolutely.  But it was Mrs. MFF’s birthday and what better than to go back to your roots.  So we went all out.  Hey, if you’re going to get nasty with the main dish, you might as well deck that out with more delicious nasty.  Right?

Can’t have chicken fried steak without another vehicle for the gravy.  OK, mashed potatoes.  In the south, this is almost always served with green beans that have been cooked way too long with onion and big chunks of salt pork or bacon.  I like them that way.  Had those too thanks to the Grahams.  And they were superlative.  How could they not with a good shot of bacon grease?  Biscuits on the side – of course – because you want to clean the plate.  If you’re still hungry, there should be pie for dessert.  And there was – Peach Raspberry.

If you’re going to do wrong, do it right.  So for this kind of indulgence, elastic waist pants are the order of the day.  Probably the next day as well.

Chicken Fried Steak with Peppery Cream Gravy

Adapted from a recipe by Bobby Flay

Serves 4

4 tenderized cube steaks (some grocery stores call them skillet steaks)

1 ½ cups buttermilk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like the heat)

Canola oil

½ pound slab bacon, cut into lardons

2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk, heated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 250° F. Cut the steak into 4 equal portions.

Place the buttermilk in a medium baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a bowl and divide between 2 baking dishes.

Dredge the pieces a few at a time in the flour mixture and pat off excess, then dip in the buttermilk and allow excess to drain off. Dredge in the second dish of flour and pat off the excess. Put the chicken pieces on a baking rack set over a baking sheet while the oil heats.

Place 1-inch of oil in a large cast iron skillet until it reaches 350° F on a thermometer. Add the steak, 2 pieces at a time and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining meat. Transfer the meat to a rack set on a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm while you make the gravy.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan, leaving the crunchy pieces from the breading. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the pan and let cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and continue to cook, whisking occasionally until thickened. Thin to desired consistency with additional milk, if necessary, and season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serve 1 piece per person ladled with some of the sauce and garnished with a few pieces of bacon.

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Tags: Beef, Comfort, Unhealthy