The Definitive Ruralist Breakfast...

All the talk about breakfast this morning left me pining for

the precise and unmistakable southern spread. This would

include biscuits, milk gravy, pork, and something fried. Associate

Gourmet food editor Alexis Touchet covers all those bases

and uses pork to put a spin on her mother's traditional

chicken fried steak recipe. Her recipe

for four follows:

Ingredients:
4 (1/2-inch-thick) boneless rib pork chops (1 1/2 lb total)
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 large egg
3 1/4 cups whole milk
2 cups vegetable oil

Preparation:

Pound pork chops on both sides with rough-textured side of meat pounder until 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and cut into 3-inch pieces. Whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. Whisk together egg, 3/4 cup milk, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in another shallow dish. Dip pork pieces in egg mixture to coat, then dredge in flour. Transfer pork as coated to a large rack set on a baking sheet. Let pork stand, uncovered, at room temperature 15 minutes. 3Preheat oven to 250°F.

Heat oil in a deep 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over high heat until thermometer registers 375°F (see cooks' note, below). Fry pork in batches, turning over once, until golden, about 4 minutes per batch, transferring to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 375°F between batches. Keep pork warm on a clean baking sheet in oven.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil into a heatproof bowl, leaving any brown bits in bottom of skillet, then add remaining 3 tablespoons flour to skillet and cook roux over moderate heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Bring to a boil and whisk in remaining 2 1/2 cups milk. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper and serve over pork.

Gourmet magazine, 2006