Wartime Wednesdays: 20th Anniversary Edition - Fried Chicken & Corn Bread

Fried Chicken

 

"To Clean Giblets

Cut the fat and membrane from the gizzard. Make a gash in the thickest part, cutting to, but not through the inner lining. Remove the inner sac and throw it away. Carefully separate the gall bladder from the liver and cut off any part of the liver that has a greenish color. Remove arteries and veins from the top of the heart and squeeze out clots of blood." 

  The Victory Binding of the American Woman's Cook Book; Wartime Edition---published 1943

 

Yummy! (shudders)

I picked this recipe because who doesn't love fried chicken (don't answer; I don't want to know)?

The book offered two recipes; the second a more conventional 'dip into fritter batter' version, but I was curious about the first. 

Cut two small chickens into 4-6 pieces, then dip (quickly!) into cold water, the sprinkle with salt & pepper before rolling in flour. 

Saute in fat (no specification) until browned on both sides.  Drain & keep warm while making the accompanying gravy (I did not).

 

It made for a nice, slightly crisp chicken. Again, fairly low effort & ingredients, decent results.

 

In lieu of gravy (the men in this house do not like it), I made 

 

Southern Corn Bread

I personally prefer a slightly sweeter corn bread, but this one is solid.

About as plain as you can get - white corn meal (yes, white), salt & shortening get mixed with scaled milk. Then goes in baking powder & a beaten egg yolk.
Finally, An egg white, stiffly beaten, gets folded in. 

All that goes in a greased pan & baked hot (400 F) about twenty minutes.

If you toast the pieces & slather with butter & jelly, it's kind of amazing.

Oh!  There's also the  'Sprinkle with diced bacon before baking' option.