"Chicken Fried" Garlic Mushroom Steak & Gravy

Prepare the Mushroom Steaks:

• Use Garlic Butter Mushroom Steaks prepared from the previous video.

Make the Wet and Dry Dredge:

• In one bowl, combine the organic all-purpose flour with smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper, salt, and nutritional yeast (optional).
• In another bowl, mix the vegan mayonnaise and plant-based milk to create a wet mixture, aiming for a consistency similar to egg and cream.
• In the bowl with flour mixture, add the panko breadcrumbs and mix until combined.

Bread the Mushroom Steaks:

• Dredge each mushroom steak in the flour mixture first.
• Dip the floured steak into the wet mixture.
• Finally, coat the steak in the panko-flour mixture, ensuring it's fully covered.

Fry the Mushroom Steaks:

• Heat a generous amount of oil (about 1/2 inch or 1 centimeter deep) in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.
• Test the oil temperature by dropping a small piece of breading into the oil. It should sizzle immediately.
• Carefully place the breaded mushroom steaks into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
• Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy.
• Remove the fried steaks and place them on a sheet pan lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Sear the Spinach:

• In a separate cast-iron pan, add a small amount of oil.
• Heat the pan over high heat and add the baby spinach.
• Sear the spinach briefly until wilted. Then, turn off the heat and let it sit.

Prepare the Shredded Mushroom Gravy:

• Leave the leftover frying oil in the original cast iron pan (remove excess if needed).
• Turn the heat back on to medium.
• Add the shredded King oyster mushrooms to the pan.
• Season with onion powder, garlic powder, crushed fresh peppercorns (about 1 tablespoon), and smoked paprika.
• Stir continuously until the mushrooms are crispy.
• Add a bit more flour to the bottom of the pan and whisk it in to create a roux.
• Gradually add oat milk, whisking constantly to incorporate and prevent lumps.
• Continue adding oat milk until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.
• Add plant-based butter (about 1 tablespoon) and whisk until melted and fully incorporated.
• Season with salt to taste.
• Lower the heat and continue whisking to cook out the flour taste.

Assemble the Dish:

• Place a generous serving of mashed potatoes on a plate.
• Top with the chicken-fried mushroom steak.
• Smother the steak and potatoes with the shredded mushroom gravy.
• Garnish with a bit of sliced red jalapeno and fresh thyme sprigs.