Channeling Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak and 2009 Big House White: 5/5

2009 Big House White: 81/100

When Michael and I went to Texas this past fall, we met his mom at some chain restaurant in Fort Worth, where Michael got steak fingers, and Debbie, ‘Woman’ as Michael calls her, got chicken fried steak. Both gigantic portions came served with fries and white country gravy.

The funny thing about Illinois is that other than Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, most of the state is fields, miles and miles, of corn fields, bean fields, and hay fields. With corn fields come farmers, farmers, livestock, livestock, the butcher, and you end up eating meat, potatoes and corn, ever night of the week. So in Rockford, at a restaurant called the Machine Shed in particular, it’s not hard to find Chicken fried steak, but I guess here in the city serving deep fried cube steak might be a bit low brow. Heaven On Seven, a New Orleans inspired restaurant, has the dish on the menu, but it better be fried in gold for $17.95, I mean we’re talking cube steak here.

So what is chicken fried steak all about anyways? Last night I just happen to catch the episode of Good Eats where the recipe I used was being covered. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chicken-fried-steak-recipe/index.html According to the Nutritional Anthropologist Deborah Duchon, who pops in on the show, chicken fried steak stems from the German Wienerschnitzel, a breaded and fried veal cutlet. When the Germans immigrated to North America they ended up in the middle part of Texas. Unable to produce ample amounts of veal, they used the tougher parts of the cow, which were then tenderized and fried similarly. Combining that with another dish in a cream sauce, chicken fried steak was born.

When it comes to pairing a wine, fried food is kind of a conundrum. Usually fried food is associated with bars, and bars, beer. And with cube steak, breading, and gravy, your palate almost craves some carbonation to subdue those fatty, mouth coating textures. Since cube steak, itself, isn’t all that fatty to begin with, it’s not sacrilegious to stay away from red wine when it comes to this dish. For my sides I decided to make some corn succotash, with peppers and cajun seasoning, and some mashed cauliflower, a healthy alternative to mashed potatoes. Since both were pretty light, I was left with the debate of bubbles or no bubbles. When doing bubbly with an entree, brut is better. You don’t want to have a sweet sparkling wine with your super savory food. At the same time, I still consider most sparkling wines on the lighter side of the spectrum, so even though they might provide some needed effervescence, the flavor of the wine might be totally washed out by the food. The other alternative is to choose a medium bodied white wine, something like a Viognier or Pinot Grigio, that will provide a little more flavor and aromatics, but still have that ability to cleanse the palate.

Since this was a working man’s dish, I didn’t think in necessary to splurge on a $20+ bottle of wine, so strolling down the wine isle Michael pointed out the 2009 Big House White from California. Basically a medium bodied blended table wine, Big House White is a blend of Muscat Canelli, Viognier, Gruner Vetliner, and Malvasia Bianaca, all for under 10 bucks. We tried the Big House Red with Paula Deen’s Beef Stroganoff a couple months back and thought it to be a tasty table wine, so I thought, why not give the white a try?

As with any home frying, be prepared to get messy, but there’s something about the smell of flour, egg, and oil that just makes you feel comfortable. As I dredged, and soaked, and fried, Michael sat in anticipation in the living room. Usually I would be making something vegetarian, but since everyone had prior obligations, this meal was just going to be for Michael and me.

I don’t know if I used too much oil, or if there was a flaw in the recipe, but putting the already fried steaks in the oven, did not allow for the grease to drip off as planned, so I suggest if you do make this, to rest the steaks on some paper towels for a few moments before popping them in the oven to keep warm.

I have to admit, I am getting pretty good at multi-tasking in the kitchen, as the steak was frying, my cauliflower was boiling, my peppers were sauteing, and I had the corn warming in the microwave. Up until now, I never thought I would be able to make one of Rachel Ray’s dishes in 30 minutes, but I have to admit, I think I could come pretty close.

After I whipped up the gravy, and mashed the cauliflower, it was time to eat. Now Michael says white gravy is traditional when it comes to chicken fried steak, but I just think brown gravy made with chicken stock has a little more flavor. Either way, it put a smile on Michael’s face.

Taking a whiff of the wine I was met with rich floral aromatics of apple blossoms, and peach. Coating my palate with a light and acidic quality, I could pick out hints of grapefruit, and an apple after taste. Since the wine was so aromatic the smell was almost palate cleansing just by itself, so I wasn’t concerned with the pair.

With a nice peppery flavor from the gravy, followed by a slight crunch from the breading and a slightly chewy, but still tender piece of cube steak, it wasn’t long before the chicken fried steak started to disappear from my plate. Adding a nice cajun spice, the corn succotash was a intermittent relief from the cube steak, and the mashed cauliflower was a happy, light alternative to starchy mashed potatoes.

Finishing with another taste of wine, the acidity of the Big House White was strong enough to handle the fattiness of the fried steak, and the sweet corn succotash was able to enhance the fruity quality of the wine.

Although Michael said he wasn’t any less homesick, I knew he was satisfied at least. Using all of the senses, food is able to transport us in both time and space, and I hope that Michael was able to at least go home for a couple of bites. Another Perfect Pair.

Carrot Cake Calls for Fall

Carrot Cake + 2008 Shoo Fly Viognier: 2/5

I really wanted to be a fan of this pairing. Unfortunately the pairing’s a bust. After a visit to Wine Styles, I thought that my Beef Bourguignon pairing party was going to be perfect with this 2008 Viognier. As described by Sara, the sommelier who would rather have wine AS dessert instead of with it, this wine should have brought out the spiciness of the carrot cake, and complimented the cream cheese frosting.

Upon first taste, I was a bit reluctant. I mean, I had just swarmed my palate with a sea of succulent flavors: beef, red wine, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. My palate was probably in flavor shock. To me the Viognier did not stand up to the dense and spicy carrot cake, and tasted more like water than wine. So I chalked it up to a buzz and taste-bud overload.

The next night I tried it again, this time with the assistance of another set of bud’s, my friend Lisa’s. Sitting across the table from me, the entire meal sailing along splendidly, we approached dessert. With the Carrot cake, still moist, perfectly sliced on the porcelain plates, and a floral and fruity smell wafting from our wine glasses, we took to tasting. She agreed with my first conclusion, the wine fell flat. While the richness of the cake provided a sweet warmth, to accompany a gloomy fall day, the wine sang songs of summer: crisp, oaky, and floral.

But again, I blamed the beef. So one last time I gave the pairing a chance, this time without a main course. I served myself a slice, large enough to taste but small enough not to destroy dinner, and poured myself a sample, again smelling the rich floral and apricot flavors. My palate was clean, no coffee, no Beef Bourguinon. I took a small fork full of the cake, each crumb falling to the plate like leaves from a changing tree. The wine shone a light brownish yellow, and when the two were married—nothing.

Although a disappointment, alone both the cake and the wine were charming. Because I was making a recipe that required hours in the kitchen, the cake was from a box. But according to Michael, the Duncan Hines carrot cake mix, which includes dehydrated carrots and raisins, is the best. To make it semi-homemade, I did whip up the cream cheese frosting. http://www.recipezaar.com/Fluffy-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-202566 Until recently I had no idea how easy it was to make frostings, and I half wonder if it was better when I didn’t know.

As far as the wine goes, I would recommend paring this Viognier with a salad with grilled salmon, or a light shrimp pasta. Talking with Lisa, she said that the carrot cake would probably pair better with a fruity Pinot Noir, which would have the structure required for such a dense dessert.

While still delicious, the pairing wasn’t exactly perfect. This is the quest though, it is a learning experience for us all.

A little comfort before a long run

Domino’s Pizza + 2007 Blackstone Winery Merlot: 3/5

With the Chicago Marathon, a gloomy day, and an afternoon of navigating through the herds of people at the runner expo, slaving over the stove was not high on the priority list last night. Not to fear, this gave me a perfect opportunity to justify an unhealthy pairing that everyone can relate to.

I’m not going to lie, its hard for me to justify the grease drenched, carb-filled, heart attack in triangular form, sweet goodness that is pizza, but if there was ever a reason, running a marathon would be one of them. Now, Chicago has some great pizza options out there, Edwardo’s, Giordano’s, Gino’s East, to name a few, but I think since I passed a Domino’s every time I boarded the red line for over two years, when I crave pizza, I crave Domino’s. What gets me is Domino’s pizza smells the same way it tastes. The dough is sweet, the pizza is extra greasy, and you can order online so you don’t have to share your guilt with anyone on the other line.

Most people automatically assume that pizza pairs better with beer. But according to He Said Beer, She Said Wine the pair can be argued either way. Marnie Old (the she of She Said Wine) argues that the crust of pizza cries out for oak flavors, the sauce for bright and tangy red wine, and of course the cheese is wine’s bride already. When its put that way, the pair sounds almost perfect.

Marnie suggested pairing pepperoni pizza with a Napa Valley Merlot, so to keep with the cheaper theme of the night, Michael and I went to the CVS by our house that just started carrying liquor. Nestled nicely between the Sutter Home and Barefoot, was a bottle of 2007 Blackstone Winery Merlot on sale for $8.49, originally $15.99. The label told of its fruity notes, full body, and moderate tannins, everything Marnie suggested in the pair. So we bought the bottle, and headed home to wait for the Dominos dude.

When the pizza arrived, Domino’s drenched apartment. Grease reflected off of each pre-sliced piece of perfection. The cardboard had already started to turn that darker shade of grease soaked brown. With the box top doubling as plates, Michael and I cozied up to our comfort food. Just as the bottle suggested, the merlot had a bright blackberry aroma, good legs, and a reddish purple color. Upon first taste, the wine was fairly acidic, and definitely left my mouth a little dry. But as soon as the pizza hit my palate, the marriage was like Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom, perfect for a moment, but leaving me dreading tomorrow’s tabloids. The tannin in the merlot was able to cut through the greasiness of the pizza, while the acidity paired with the flavors of the mozzarella cheese charmingly.

Over all it wasn’t the best Domino’s I’ve had, the crust was a little crisp, the slices were a little soaked, and the sauce was used sparingly. The wine, on the other hand, was surprisingly satisfying, and was able to mask some of the flaws of the pizza. Will the quality of the delivery stop me from eating a cold slice from the refrigerator after I get done writing this post? Of course not. But it will leave me wanting a glass of merlot. So next time you are having pizza, stop before you grab a six-pack and consider a bottle of Merlot. It might just persuade your pairing philosophy.