Welcome to Plus One, a column by Food Editor Emily Ziemski where small-but-mighty additions—ingredients, sauces, toppings—that instantly upgrade whatever’s on the table are the star of the show. Today, chicken-fried what?
I don’t believe in trying to make one food be another food. As someone who is constantly searching for substitutions, I find where foods fall flat is the moment when they try to perfectly imitate a different food. I respect the hustle, but it’s super difficult to use an item that functions completely separately, with different protein structures or vegetal cells, and try to mold it into that item you *really* want it to be. Vegan “cheese,” I love you, but you’re really more of a creamy spread. Is this a metaphor for being true to yourself? Maybe.
The only exception that I’ve found so far that seems to be impervious to said rule, is chicken-fried something (gosh are we surprised though?). Chicken-fried steak is probably the most classic iteration you’ve seen out in the world, as a diner food staple. You can picture it, that blue speckled plate—it’s always a blue speckled plate in my mind—with that perfectly crispy, golden-brown fried, thin-pounded piece of tender steak hiding underneath all the crackly edges, topped with a rich puddle of gravy that’s just beginning to pool underneath the steak. But that’s been done a million times over.
So, here I am, yet again, asking you to make another mushroom dish. Searing fluffy Lion's Mane mushrooms before battering and frying ensures all of the excess liquid is pressed out (plus creates a chicken-like texture), and the batter is simply something very similar that you’d use to double coat a piece of fried chicken. If beer isn’t your thing, try a different sparkling beverage to get that carbonation, which contributes to having an airy and textured crust. —Emily Ziemski
Searing Tip:
Don't be afraid to really press down on the mushrooms! You're trying to extract as much liquid as possible before frying, and also create ribbony strands of mushroom when sliced into that mimics what a chicken tender would look like when cut open. —Food52
See what other Food52ers are saying.