Chicken shortcake

4 servings

Quantity Ingredient
3 tablespoons Bacon drippings, divided
½ cup Yellow cornmeal
¾ cup Flour
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Salt
½ cup Milk
2 tablespoons Butter, melted
1 Egg, beaten
CHICKEN:
3 pounds Chicken
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium Onion, peeled
1 cup Sliced fresh mushrooms
3 Scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
½ cup Chopped pimientos
½ cup Dry white wine
½ cup Cooked baby lima beans
Chopped hard-cooked egg, as garnish
Watercress, as garnish

CORN BREAD SHORTCAKE:

SHORTCAKE: Melt 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in a 9-inch square baking pan. Place in an oven at 425F.

Mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the milk with the melted butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings. Let cool to tepid and beat in the egg.

Working quickly, pour the batter into the hot pan in the oven. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cut the cornbread into equal pieces. When ready to use, cut each piece in half horizontally, as for shortcake.

CHICKEN: Cover the chicken with water in a heavy pot. Add the salt, pepper and onion. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 1½ hours until the chicken is tender.

Cool the chicken in the stock. Remove the chicken from the pot.

Reserve 3 cups of the stock. Pull the meat from the bones and cut into bite-size pieces.

In a heavy saucepan, saute the mushrooms and scallions in the butter for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved stock. Continue stirring over medium heat until gravy thick. Add the pimientos and stir in the wine. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the lima beans and cook only long enough to heat them through. Return the chicken meat to the mixture.

TO ASSEMBLE: Place ½ piece of sliced corn bread on a dinner plate.

Top with chicken mixture, another half slice of cornbread, more chicken and finally a third slice of cornbread. Sprinkle the top of the stack with chopped hard-cooked egg and garnish with watercress, if so desired.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From The Olde Pink House in Savannah, Georgia.

[THE BALTIMORE SUN; March 24, 1991] Posted by Fred Peters.

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