2 days ago, I was asked by a friend for a recipe that I make each time I visit Lotts Creek School, in Hazard, Kentucky. After sending it to him, I decided to share it with you readers and it's posted in the preceding entry. It's important to know the history of the dish. After all, each of us has asked about the origin of so many things.
Since childhood, my Mom has always made what she called, "City Chicken." (I never DID learn whence the title). They kind of resemble a chcken leg...maybe.
In our old neighborhood butcher shop, you could get 4-5 inch wood skewers that were pointed at one end. The butcher would sell chunks of pork and veal that measured approximately 1-1/2" cubed and package them all together. Mom would alternately attach the pork and veal onto the skewers, bread them, lightly brown in a black, cast iron frying pan and then bake until tender. She'd normally serve them with mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and corn. I nearly forgot to mention the homemade bread! If you could walk away from the table, you obviously didn't eat enough.
Nowadays, it's rare to find cubed veal, and sometimes, ANY veal. Some butchers continue to offer cubed pork with skewers, but you won't find that everywhere. That being the case, I've adapted to what's available.
When skewers aren't available, I utilize clean, plastic grocery bags, as explained in the actual recipe. When I'm REELEE pressed for time or just lazy, I buy whole, boneless country/western style pork ribs.
Please try the recipe...you just might like that other white meat.
After all that, we're back to, "How did City Chicken get that name?"
Well, Virginia, I must admit, that I shall go to bed tonight, still not having a clue.
Since childhood, my Mom has always made what she called, "City Chicken." (I never DID learn whence the title). They kind of resemble a chcken leg...maybe.
In our old neighborhood butcher shop, you could get 4-5 inch wood skewers that were pointed at one end. The butcher would sell chunks of pork and veal that measured approximately 1-1/2" cubed and package them all together. Mom would alternately attach the pork and veal onto the skewers, bread them, lightly brown in a black, cast iron frying pan and then bake until tender. She'd normally serve them with mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and corn. I nearly forgot to mention the homemade bread! If you could walk away from the table, you obviously didn't eat enough.
Nowadays, it's rare to find cubed veal, and sometimes, ANY veal. Some butchers continue to offer cubed pork with skewers, but you won't find that everywhere. That being the case, I've adapted to what's available.
When skewers aren't available, I utilize clean, plastic grocery bags, as explained in the actual recipe. When I'm REELEE pressed for time or just lazy, I buy whole, boneless country/western style pork ribs.
Please try the recipe...you just might like that other white meat.
After all that, we're back to, "How did City Chicken get that name?"
Well, Virginia, I must admit, that I shall go to bed tonight, still not having a clue.
1 comment:
Yummy, I remember you making this! As for the way it came to be called city chicken check out this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_chicken
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