-
1
Special equipment: a deep-fry thermometer
-
2
Position an oven rack at the top of the oven, and preheat the broiler.
-
3
Arrange the mushrooms on a baking sheet, and broil until the sides facing up begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
-
4
Flip, and continue to broil until the sides facing up are soft, about 5 minutes more.
-
5
Let cool.
-
6
Put the mushrooms, gill-side up, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and pound to about 1/4 inch thick with a meat mallet.
-
7
Season all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
-
8
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
-
9
Whisk together the milk and eggs in a separate shallow dish.
-
10
Lower the oven heat to 250 degrees F. Put a rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
-
11
Heat about an inch of oil to 350 degrees F in a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
-
12
While the oil heats, dredge each mushroom in the flour mixture to completely coat; shake off any excess.
-
13
Then dip into the egg mixture until fully coated; let the excess drip off.
-
14
Return the mushroom to the flour mixture, and dredge a second time, until completely coated, pressing firmly into the flour mixture.
-
15
Arrange on one side of the rack on the baking sheet.
-
16
Add 2 of the breaded mushrooms to the hot oil, and cook, turning once, until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes total.
-
17
Transfer the mushrooms to the unused side of the rack.
-
18
When the oil comes back to temperature, repeat with the remaining 2 mushrooms and keep the first 2 warm in the oven.
-
19
Serve the mushroom steaks with mashed potatoes and generous spoonfuls of hot gravy.
-
20
Garnish with chives or scallions if using.
-
21
Position an oven rack in the top position in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Toss the onions, celery, carrots and garlic with the oil and 1 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet.
-
22
Roast until the vegetables are charred in some places, 25 to 30 minutes.
-
23
Bring the roasted vegetables, 1 cup water, mushrooms, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, soy sauce, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
-
24
Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is gone, 8 to 10 minutes.
-
25
Add 6 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring back to a simmer.
-
26
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and gently simmer until reduced by about one third, about 45 minutes.
-
27
Strain the stock into a large liquid measuring cup, then squeeze all the liquid out of the solids with the back of a ladle (there should be about 4 cups of stock); discard the solids.
-
28
(If not making gravy right away, let the stock cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month; warm slightly before making gravy.)
-
29
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
-
30
Add the sage leaves to the butter, and stir for 30 seconds; remove the fried sage leaves, and set aside.
-
31
Add the flour to the saucepan, and stir until smooth and lightly golden, about 2 minutes.
-
32
Slowly pour in the warm stock while whisking constantly until smooth and thick, 8 to 10 minutes.
-
33
Chop the fried sage, stir it and the parsley into the gravy and season to taste with pepper.
