Maryland Smothered Chicken — Cooking from LIFE

It’s time for some moonlight and magnolias as this installment travels south of the Mason Dixon Line to the Chesapeake Bay, home of PHILLIPS SOUPS.

Phillips began as a humble crab shack and grew into a restaurant and canned soup mini-empire. These days their seafood soups are still available, but alas, the requisite canned mushroom is no more. Substitute another brand, (the red can or a no-name brand) or make your own (as this kitchen did).

The balding mustachioed gentleman in the advertisement is George Rector. Described by The Wikipedia as a restauranteur and raconteur, Mr. Rector was the host of the weekly radio program “Dine with George Rector” on the Columbia Broadcasting System and author of many popular cookbooks.

He is said to have been persuaded by his father to leave Cornell Law School and was sent packing to Paris so he could learn how to make a proper sauce for fillet of sole. And that, friends, is called having ones priorities in order.

Recipe: Maryland Smothered Chicken

ingredients:

1 young chicken (about 2 1/2 lbs.)

Flour

4 T cooking fat (half of which is butter)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup cream or milk

2 T Sherry (optional)

Clean and dry a young chicken; cut into 8 pieces
Season with salt and pepper; dust lightly with flour
Melt 4 tablespoons of cooking fat (half butter) in a heavy skillet; brown chicken on all sides
Cover Skillet and cook slowly until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to hot plate, and make the gravy
Empty 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup into skillet in which chicken was cooked
Add 1 cup cream or milk, 2 tablespoons Sherry (optional), stir until boiling point is reached
Pour over chicken and serve