I'm Just Here for the Food (21 page)

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All vegetable fats (except coconut and palm) are liquids and therefore oils.

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Since cooking fats degrade steadily once they cross about 140° F, I add the fat to a hot pan rather than heating it along with the pan.

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Shortening is great for frying. Since it’s used as a baking ingredient, it’s very refined. That results in a nice, golden-brown skin on chicken and, more important, no frying odor in the air.

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Lard is rendered or clarified pork fat, the quality of which depends on the area the fat came from and the method of rendering. Lard is richer than many other fats. When substituting lard for butter in baking, reduce the amount by 20 to 25 percent.

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Suet is a solid fat found around the kidneys and loins of beef, sheep, and other animals.

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The Belgians are even more into
pommes frites
than we are and they swear by horse fat. I’ve been to Belgium, I’ve had the frites, and my money’s on Mr. Ed. Horse fat is, however, oddly absent from the American supermarket shelf.

Unsaturated fats don’t fry up quite as nicely as oils high in saturated fats, but they have high smoke points so they can be used more than once (if you’re careful with them). Unsaturated fats are primarily derived from plants and are usually in the form of an oil. Monounsaturated fats include olive oil and peanut oil. These fats are known to aid in the reduction of LDL cholesterol levels. Fats high in monounsaturates are ten times less shelf-stable than saturated fats and have low smoke points.

Polyunsaturated fats include safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, and sesame oils. These fats are also better for your health but because their carbon chains have empty hands on them, nasty molecules (oxygen, for instance) can dock with the fat, making it go rancid quickly.

Just to make things a little more complicated, there are hydrogenated fats and trans fatty acids, both results of tinkering by the big, hairless monkey.

In order to make a polyunsaturated fat solid at room temperature or resistant to rancidity, hydrogen is pushed into the molecule so that those empty seats won’t be taken up by undesirable substances. Fatty acids receiving this elemental transfusion straighten out physically, which makes it easier for the fat to lock up with its neighbor. The result is a fat that’s solid at room temperature and opaque rather than clear. Vegetable shortening is a good example of this kind of fat. Unfortunately, any health advantage that might have been gained by the unsaturated nature of the fat is blown out of the water by the fact that the added hydrogen essentially saturates the fat. A trans fatty acid is simply a polyunsaturate that has been partially hydrogenated. Most nonbutter, buttery spreads employ trans fatty acids.

“Fat” here is a blanket term for triglycerides. Technically speaking any triglyceride that is solid at room temperature is called “fat.” Any triglyceride that’s liquid at room temperature is called an oil. There are two exceptions: palm oil and coconut oil, both of which are solid at room temperature but for some reason are still referred to as oils rather than fats.

Smoke Points

The smoke point is the temperature at which a heated fat starts to release smoke and acrid odors and lend an undesirable taste to food. When a fat reaches its smoke point, it is degrading very rapidly and certain compounds are escaping as vapor. This is why a thermometer should be used all the time, no matter what.

It seems pretty clear that if an oil’s smoke point drops a few degrees (as much as 10° F) each time it’s used, you’re better off starting with an oil with a very high smoke point—either peanut, corn, soybean, or safflower.

Approximate Smoke Point Ranges for Common Fats

Fried Green Tomatoes

Okay—so I’m Southern.

Application: Pan-Frying

Slice the tomatoes into ¼-inch rounds and spread out on paper towels. Top with another layer of paper towels and allow to drain. (The key to successful fried tomatoes is that they must be as dry as possible prior to breading; otherwise the coating will peel off in sheets after cooking.) Meanwhile, mix the flour and cornstarch and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. In a separate container, beat the eggs until slightly fluffy. Put the cracker crumbs in a third container. In a skillet, heat ½ inch of oil to 350° F. Season the dried tomato slices with salt and pepper, dredge in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg, and then press into the cracker crumbs to coat. With tongs, working in batches, gently lay them in the pan and cook until crisp and brown on one side, then flip and brown the other side. Transfer to a rack as they are done. I eat my ’maters with hot-pepper vinegar and a glass of sweet iced tea.

Yield: 4 side servings

Software:

3 green tomatoes, each about the
size of a baseball
½ cup flour
½ cup cornstarch
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 eggs
2 cups fine Ritz cracker crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Hardware:

Paper towels
3 containers for dredging
10-inch cast-iron skillet or heavy-
bottom pan
Oil thermometer
Tongs
Rack

Eggplant Parmesan

Cheese provides a perfect moisture barrier between the crisp coating and the tomato sauce. But sauce lightly; too much liquid will destroy the crispness you’ve worked so hard to create.

Application: Pan-Frying

Cut the eggplant into ¼-inch slices either crosswise (round slices) or lengthwise (long slices), depending on your preference. Liberally sprinkle the slices with kosher salt and lay out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels (stacking is fine as long as the stacks are equal in height). Top with another layer of paper towels, place a second baking sheet on top, and then weight it down. Allow to press for 30 minutes. Rinse away the salt and pat dry. Season the flour with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper, dredge the eggplant slices in the flour, then dip them in the egg mixture. Mix the panko and the Parmesan and coat the eggplant slices with the mixture.

In a heavy-bottom pot, heat ½ inch oil to 350° F. Fry the slices in batches until brown on the bottom, then turn and brown the other side, about 5 minutes total. Remove to a rack and hold in a warm (250° F) oven until all the slices are ready.

Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce. Pull the rack of fried eggplant slices out of the oven and crank the heat up to 375° F.

To assemble, in a glass baking dish lay one eggplant slice and top with provolone, spread a very thin layer of sauce over the cheese, and repeat with two more layers, or until all the eggplant has been used. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted.

To serve, ladle a bit of sauce on the plate and place the hot stacks in it. (Or, you could build the stacks in small individual baking dishes and serve them right from the oven.)

Yield: 2 entrée or 4 side servings

Software:

1 medium to large firm eggplant,
with tight, shiny skin
Kosher salt for pressing the
eggplant, plus ¼ teaspoon
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 eggs and 3 ounces of water
beaten together
½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus
additional for the table
Canola oil for frying
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup shredded provolone cheese

Hardware:

2 baking sheets
Paper towels
3 containers for dredging
Heavy-bottom pot or cast-iron pan
Rack
Glass baking dish

A Pack of Wild Corn-Dogs

I really resent the fact that adults are supposed to give up certain foods, especially those that bring back fond childhood memories. I don’t have any fond childhood memories involving fois gras or blowfish or caviar (other than as fishing bait). I do however have fond memories of corn dogs. When I was a kid the carnival came to town every year and each year I had to beg, and I mean beg, my dad to take me. He hated carnivals because he knew everything was a rip-off—the games, the shows, the rides, the food. But each year he’d eventually give in and each year I got a corn dog. Years later I came across a piece of Texas history that suggested that German sausage makers who settled in the San Antonio area came up with the idea of encasing their goods in cornbread batter. By the way, don’t use skewers, they…oh just trust me.

Application: Pan-Frying

Heat the shortening in an electric skillet. Set the thermostat to 350° F. (Do not go beyond this temperature or the shortening will burn.)

Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cayenne. In a separate container, combine the jalapeño, corn, onion, buttermilk, and ½ cup water. Pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring just to thoroughly combine. Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes.

Thoroughly pat the franks dry. Dredge the franks in cornstarch, being sure to shake off all the excess, then dip them in the batter. Immediately add to the hot fat. As soon as the batter is set on the bottom side, roll the corn dog over to cook the other side. Turn every minute until the outer skin is mahogany brown and crunchy, about 6 minutes total. Drain briefly on a draining rack. Grasp the corn dog firmly with a towel and push in a Popsicle stick for a handle. (Leaving the handles off until the cooking is over makes for a lot more room in the pan. Besides, there’s no other way to keep the handle from getting greasy—and a greasy handle is the last thing you need when you’re chompin’ a corn dog.)

Yield: 4 corn dogs

Software:

4 cups vegetable shortening
½ plus ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ jalapeño chile, seeded and finely
minced
⅓ cup fresh corn kernels, pounded
slightly
¼ cup grated onion
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup water
4 franks or precooked sausages
(I’m partial to buffalo sausages)
Cornstarch for dredging

Hardware:

Electric skillet
3 containers
Draining rack
4 Popsicle sticks

Chip Chop

Application: Pan-Frying

Preheat the oven to 250° F. Put the chips in a zip-top freezer bag, seal, and roughly crush them. Don’t go for a uniform meal, just beat them up: you want a contrast of size and shape. Transfer the chips to a pie pan. Beat the egg together with 2 teaspoons water and place the mixture in a second pie pan. Place the chop in a third pie pan and dredge with seasoned flour. Shake off any excess flour and coat the chop in the egg mixture. Drain briefly, then transfer the chop to the chip pan. Press on the pieces so that the chop is completely coated. Place on a rack and let the chop rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

In the meantime, in a skillet, heat enough shortening to come halfway up the side of the chop to 350° F (it’s tough to take the temperature of such a small amount of oil, which is one reason I prefer to work in an electric skillet).

Cook the chop for 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to the rack and place the rack in the oven. Bake for 27 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature hits 145° F.

Serve the chop with something else golden brown like mac and cheese and a side bowl of collard greens. Or, if you think your arteries are up to it, fried green tomatoes.

Yield: 1 serving, easily multiplied

Software:

1 (12-ounce) bag salt-and-vinegar
potato chips (such as Lay’s)
1 egg
2 teaspoons water
1 rib pork chop (1 to 1½-inch thick,
bone on), at room temperature
Shake of seasoned flour
Shortening or canola oil