Chicken Fried Steak with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

There is no chicken in chicken fried steak. This venerable southern classic gets its name from the fact that a steak is prepared just like southern fried chicken. I've given it an Italian twist by adding some Italian spices to the flour and bathed it in a roasted red pepper sauce. The crispy fried steak is merely a platform for the sweet roasted red pepper sauce.

Makes 12 small steaks

Chicken Fried Steak Ingredients

1 lb Skirt Steak

Canola Oil

½ C All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Dried Parsley

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

5 grinds Black Pepper

1 large egg

2 TBS Milk

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Ingredients

8 oz Jar Roasted Red Peppers (drained)

1 C Chicken Broth

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 tsp Dried Parsley

½ tsp Dried Oregano

¼ - ½ tsp Kosher Salt

Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

Hot Sauce (Optional)

Cut the steak into 3 inch pieces and pound each piece until it is ¼ inch thick (you can then cut in half again if you want smaller pieces of chicken fried steak). In a wide bowl, mix the ½ cup flour through the 5 grinds of black pepper. In a separate bowl beat the egg and milk.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet over high heat until it reaches a temperature of 350°F.Dip each piece of skirt steak into the flour, then into the egg and back again into the flour (see photo). Fry each piece until golden brown (see photo). Place on a wire rack on a cookie sheet in a 200°F oven to keep them warm. Continue frying until all pieces are golden brown.

While the steak is frying place all of the roasted red pepper sauce ingredients into either a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan, bring to a low simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour the roasted red pepper sauce over the chicken fried steak as you are serving it.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Chicken Fried Steak.

Making Mozzarella at Capi’s

When I moved to North Carolina 17 years ago, there was a limited number of places to eat lunch in the RTP area. If you asked someone where to get the best sandwiches 9 out of 10 people would say Capi’s. Now you have to understand that Capi’s was a deli inside a gas station. At lunch time the line for sandwiches snaked out the door. About ten years ago Tony, who founded the three Capi’s delis sold the business. Well Tony, at 70 years old, decided that after 10 years he was ready to start again. He has recently rekindled his love of cooking by reopening in the Dolphin BP station on 55 and Green Hope School Road in Cary. This week Tony hosted an event for the local chapter of the Sons of Italy where he showed us how to make mozzarella.

Step 1: The Curd

Mozzarella is a simple cheese. You start with whole milk curd which can be ordered in 20 lb blocks. Since most of us would not need 20 lbs of mozzarella you can cut the block into pieces and freeze what you do not need. You can also buy rennet and make your own curd.

Step 2: Cut the Curd

Cut the curd into small pieces with a knife and place them into a large bowl.

Step 3: Hot Water Soak

Pour hot water over the curd so that it is submerged by two inches of water. The water should be hot but should not exceed 180F or the curd will melt. Let the curd soak for two minutes. That’s Tony pouring the hot water over the curds.

Step 4: Fold it Together

After the curd has soaked use a large spoon to pull the pieces to

the front of the bowl. This will slowly soften and bring the mozzarella together into a large mass. Continue to fold the cheese together until it has no more lumps.

Step 5: Make the Mozzarella Balls

At this point the mozzarella is stretchy and coalesced into a single mass of cheese. Pull off a handful of cheese and form it into a ball by folding it into your fingers. Tony suggests keeping a little water in the center to keep the mozzarella moist.

Step 6: Salting the Mozzarella (Optional)

This step is optional. Most mozzarella you purchase is not salted but this is

my preferred taste. Prepare a salt bath by placing a raw egg in a bowl of warm but not hot water and dissolve salt in the water until the egg floats. Take out the egg and place the mozzarella in the salt brine for a few minutes. Do not leave it in too long or it will taste too salty.

Step 7: Cooling the Mozzarella

Place the mozzarella into an ice bath until it has cooled. Do not leave it in too long or it will get cold. 

Step 8: Mangia

Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate or enjoy it immediately. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. We were lucky enough that Tony made us some outstanding  Caprese Salad.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam

Every spring my wife and I have a ritual. We pick strawberries and make homemade strawberry jam. This year I decided to be a little more creative by making strawberry balsamic jam. Yes I added balsamic vinegar to jam. If you use a good balsamic, the vinegar and sugar balance each other out to create a complex flavor that enhances the flavor of the strawberries while developing a depth of flavor that is truly wonderful with just a hint of the balsamic vinegar.

Make 4 Cups Jam

Ingredients

2 lb Strawberries (hulled and mashed)

6 TBD Sugar

4 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

Clean and hull the 2 cups of strawberries them mash them with a potato masher (see photo). In a medium saucepan, combine the mashed strawberries, 6 tablespoons of sugar and 4 tablespoons of good quality balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the jam has thickened (30 minutes) so that the jam does not burn. The jam is done when there is a visible trace left when you wipe the back of the spoon with your finger (see photo).

While the jam is cooking prepare the jars for canning.  This is an important step since food spoilage occurs easily if the canning is not done properly.  I suggest you go to your favorite source to find out what the best practices are for canning, such as www.homecanning.com. Follow the directions for high-acid foods exactly. 

The jam will keep opened in your refrigerator for at least two weeks.  If you don't eat a lot of jam I would recommend that you use the small 4 oz. jars so that they are open the least amount of time.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar.

Chocolate Hazelnut Pretzels

One of the treats that I usually succumb to when I travel is chocolate dipped pretzels. On a trip to Colonial Williamsburg I devoured a pretzel that was first covered with peanut butter then dipped in dark chocolate. When I came home I decided that I could improve on this treat by using chocolate hazelnut spread in place of the peanut butter. The result was a dream come true if you like salt and chocolate.

Servings: 10

10 Pretzel Sticks

¼ - ½ C Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (such as Nutella)

4 oz Semisweet Chocolate (melted)

Cover half of each pretzel stick with a thin layer of chocolate hazelnut spread (see photo) and place them on a sheet of wax paper in a refrigerator.

Pretzel covered with Nutella

Covering Nutella with melted chocolate

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave until just melted. Cover the chocolate hazelnut spread with a thin layer of melted chocolate (see photo) and place on a clean sheet of wax paper. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Chocolate Hazelnut Covered Pretzels.