Bros. Houligan restaurant owners Pat and Tim McMurchy said they received a call from a excited friend almost two years ago.
“Quick, turn on QVC,” the friend said. “They’re selling your book on TV.”
Bros. Houligan (celebrating its 25th birthday and reviewed in today’s Weekend section) was included in a Southern Living book, “Off the Eaten Path: Favorite Southern Dives and 150 Recipes That Made Them Famous,” by Morgan Murphy (Oxmoor House, $25), published in 2011.
The book, which can be ordered through bookstores, goes ga-ga over Bros. Houligan cottage fries and chicken-fried steak, and printed the following recipes:
GREEN BEANS
4 bacon slices
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 (16-ounce) package frozen French-cut green beans
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes or until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.
2. Saute onion in hot drippings 3 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in seasoned salt and green beans. Spoon green bean mixture into a lightly battered greased 8-inch square baking dish; sprinkle with bacon.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Makes 4 servings.
CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK
3 1/2 cups peanut oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
4 (4-ounce) cubed steaks
Country gravy
1. Pour oil into a 12-inch skillet; heat to 360 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, combine flour, salt, pepper and chili powder. Whisk together milk and eggs. Dredge steaks in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip steaks in milk mixture, and heavily dredge again in flour mixture.
3. Fry steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with country gravy.
Makes 4 servings.
COUNTRY GRAVY
1/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk
1 teaspoon jarred chicken soup base
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (2.64-ounce) envelope country gravy mix
2 cups water
1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan; whisk in 2 cups water. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently; reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; serve with chicken-fried steak.
Makes 2 1/4 cups.
