Last weekend, we went out and bought a small electric deep fryer. We both love fried foods (who doesn’t?), but I’m scared of the hot oil. This fryer is a good compromise.
Our first deep-fried treat was button mushrooms. They were delicious—juicy in the center with a crisp cornmeal coating on the outside.
Whether you’re using a deep fryer or a frying pan, good breading is key to crisp and tasty fried foods. So this week’s recipe is a procedure for breading—it’s called a breading station.
Breading Station
Pan 1: Flour seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper.
Pan 2: Egg with a splash of milk, whisked to an even consistency.
Pan 3: Crumbs, plain or seasoned. Be sure to avoid salting the crumbs as salt makes the hot oil spit.
Lightly flour the food to absorb excess moisture. Then coat the floured pieces in the egg wash. Pat on (or roll food in) the crumbs, gently shaking off any excess. Fry at the recommended temperature.
Notes
- Quantities will vary depending on how much food you are breading.
- Substitute cornmeal in Pan 3 for a hard cripsy shell.
- Use one hand for the dry pans and the other for the egg. This keeps your hands from getting too gummed up as you bread.
I’m really skittish around hot oil too. I burned myself horribly frying zucchini once. It left a scar that lasted for years!
I don’t fry much at all. If I had a fryer you could be sure I’d try mushrooms!
Enjoy your new gadget. :-)
Posted by: Jenn on November 6, 2003 11:07 PMI remember we were frying things on 9.9.99 and Tod almost caught the whole kitchen on fire. That was fun!
Posted by: Mike on November 7, 2003 05:15 AM