The New Home Ec

A couple of years ago ago, at a restaurant that was cute but ultimately disappointing*, I decided to order fried chicken with smashed potatoes and bacon gravy, and green beans with slivered shallots**. As any cook worth her salt will tell you, restaurant fried chicken is a foolish order. The best fried chicken is lightly floured*** and shallow-fried, producing plenty of nice fat and cracklins for milk gravy, which is IMHO the entire point of fried chicken. Restaurant fried chicken is usually heavily breaded and deep fried, and the gravy, if it exists at all, is a sad broth based thing, or nothing more than white sauce. Also I don't like chicken very much. Nonetheless, I ordered it because I had never considered putting bacon gravy on potatoes. Readers, it was a divine combination. The potatoes were buttery and slightly lumpy (in a good way) and the gravy was just the right texture, smoky and not too rich with a good dash of pepper. I made it the next week at home, and I'...

This is never going to be the prettiest sandwich in the place, but it could easily be the best. I have leftover turkey and gravy, bacon in the freezer and all the good cheese you could ever want. Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich Serves 2 2 brioche buns butter 1 onion, caramelized (optional) 6-8 ounces thinly sliced turkey breast 1 cup Mornay sauce, warm or 2/3 cup turkey gravy, warm, and ½ cup grated colby-jack cheese 3 slices cooked bacon Toast buns and butter them. Place on oven-proof plates. Top with onion if using. Shingle turkey across toast. Pour sauce or gravy over top. Add cheese if using. Place under broiler and broil until sauce or gravy and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. Remove from oven and crumble bacon over top. Serve at once. Serves two. Mornay Sauce 2 tablespoons butter 1½  tablespoons flour 1 cup milk ½ cup grated colby-jack or other melty cheese In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour, mixing well, and cook o...