Kansas Visitor's Guide 2007/2008 - (Page 67) (Opposite) Shoppers at Depot Market in Courtland. (Below) Hoisting watermelons at harvest time. (Insets, from left) Some of Depot Market’s locally grown offerings. Freshpicked watermelons at Kuhn Farm in Courtland. 3 1 1 CHICK EN -FR IED STEAK Inspired by a star menu item at Pinky’s Bar & Grill in Courtland. 1 pound boneless beef top round steak, cut 1⁄2 inch thick ⁄4 cup fine dry bread crumbs ⁄2 teaspoon salt ⁄2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed ⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 beaten egg 1 tablespoon milk 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 11⁄3 cups milk 1 1. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 4 serving-size pieces. Place each piece of beef between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Working from center to edges, pound meat lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to 1⁄4-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. 2. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, the 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, basil and the 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper. In another shallow dish, combine egg and the 1 tablespoon milk. Dip meat pieces into egg mixture, then coat with the bread crumb mixture. 3. In a 12-inch skillet, cook meat, half at a time, in hot oil over medium heat about 6 minutes or until brown, turning once. (Add more oil, if necessary.) Return all meat to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 45 to 60 minutes more or until meat is tender. Transfer meat to a serving platter, reserving drippings in skillet. Keep meat warm. 4. For gravy: Cook onion in the reserved drippings until tender but not brown. (Add more oil, if necessary.) Stir in flour. Gradually stir in 11⁄3 cups milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve gravy with meat. Makes 4 servings. double that. However, it’s not about size these days in the watermelon world; customers actually prefer smaller, seedless melons they can store in a refrigerator. Seedless melons are more of a challenge for Dan to grow. “They’re fussy,” he says. “We have to start the plants inside. They like it hot. They’re more expensive, but people seem to love them.” I want to learn how to pick a ripe melon. Dan shares the secrets. In the field, look for a dull finish. Check for a dried “curl” that resembles a pig’s tail, the remainder of the stem on the end of the melon. Thump the melon and listen for a dull sound. And roll the melon over to see if there’s a yellowish “butter belly”—the surest indicator of good quality if you’re buying a watermelon at the supermarket. Dan, a devout Roman Catholic, is clearly a man of the land and a man of faith. When I ask what led a city boy to this life, he speaks in biblical terms. “You’re in God’s will when you’re doing this. You’re in sync.” What a beautiful thought. w w w. T r a v e l K S . c o m 67 http://www.TravelKS.com
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