Grillades And Grits A Classic New Orleans Brunch Food

LOUISIANA GRILLADES AND GRITS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut the steaks into 2-inch pieces. Combine 4 tablespoons of flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; dredge steak pieces.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat; cook the meat, turning the pieces to brown both sides. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
• Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the same pan and cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer.
• Remove the vegetables to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir the mixture well and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux mixture is medium brown in color. Return the onion mixture to the pan and add the beef broth; stir until smooth.
• Return the meat to the pan and add the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the thyme, basil, red pepper, and a little Tabasco. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until tender, about 40 to 60 minutes, or until meat is tender. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed; stir in the fresh chopped parsley.
• Serve the grillades with hot buttered grits and a garnish of sliced green onions, if desired. Enjoy!

GRILLADES AND GRITS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the beef and veal together. Season the meat with Essence. Add the flour and toss the meat completely. Turn the meat out onto a floured surface and with meat mallet, lightly pound the meat. Turn the meat over and lightly pound the meat again. In a large cast-iron pot, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the meat. Brown the meat evenly on both sides for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery. Season with salt and cayenne. Continue stirring, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, oregano, basil, broth and wine. Season with salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, and cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Remove the bay leaves and serve with baked cheese grits.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

GRILLADES AND GRITS, A CLASSIC NEW ORLEANS BRUNCH

Steps:

• Cut the top round into pieces about 2" square. Place the flour in a shallow dish, season well with salt and pepper (about 1 teaspoon each), and dredge the beef pieces in the flour to coat.
• Heat a large (12") skillet with deep sides over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and brown the beef in batches, about 5 minutes on each side. This will probably take 3 batches. As the pieces are browned, remove them to a plate. It's okay if some of the coating sticks to the bottom of the pan; if the stuck on bits start burning too fast, add a little more oil to the pan with each batch.
• When all the beef is browned, add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the skillet, along with a few tablespoons of the beef stock, stirring up the burned-on bits. Saute for about 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute a couple of minutes.
• Add the oregano, thyme, basil, Creole seasoning, beef stock, crushed tomato, and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When the liquid simmers, nestle the beef pieces back into the skillet, making sure each piece is covered with liquid. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan, and simmer slowly for two hours, stirring now and then.
• Check the beef at this point for tenderness: the goal is fork-tender pieces that will break apart if pushed with a wooden spoon. Depending on the cut and thickness of your beef, you might need to simmer up to another hour. Leave the cover on for the final cooking unless you want a thicker gravy; in that case, leave it off for as long as you like. Taste the gravy for seasoning; I like to add a little Worcestershire and cayenne at the end.
• Meanwhile, make the grits: In a 5-quart pot, bring the milk and 1 teaspoon of salt to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir the milk from time to time to make sure it doesn't burn onto the bottom of the pot while it heats up. When it simmers, stir in the grits (whisking is best to prevent lumps). Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grits and thick and tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt and black pepper. I like to add a little Tabasco because the vinegar in it sparks the grits a bit.
• Serve grillades and gravy ladled over grits in shallow bowls, topped with green onions.

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE GRITS AND GRILLADES

Steps:

• Cut tenderloin into 12 cutlets, place each between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet until very thin, about 1/8 inch. In a small dish, mix 1 cup of the flour with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Lightly dust each cutlet on both sides, set aside on a plate. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté cutlets in batches of 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute on each side. Repeat with remaining oil and cutlets. In same skillet, cook bacon. Transfer bacon to a paper-lined plate, keeping bacon fat in skillet. Reduce heat, whisk in remaining flour. Simmer and stir continuously until roux becomes light brown, about 10 minutes. Add bell peppers, onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Carefully whisk in remaining salt and pepper, Creole spice, cumin, paprika and bay leaves. Next, whisk in stock and tomato. Bring sauce to a simmer, and cook on low for 10 minutes, skimming off excess fat. Strain sauce through a sieve and then return to skillet; warm pork cutlets in sauce.
• Make the Grits: Scald milk (skin forms on top). Whisk in grits and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, whisking again now and then. Whisk in butter, cream, salt and pepper. Cover and remove from heat. It will stay hot for about 15 or 20 minutes, covered.

PORK GRILLADES AND GRITS

Steps:

• Lightly pound pork slices with a mallet. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning, and then dust in flour. Heat oil over high heat in a large Dutch oven and brown pork on both sides, in batches, for about 2 minutes per side. After browning, reserve. When pork has all been browned, discard excess oil.
• Heat chicken fat or butter over medium heat in Dutch oven and slowly whisk in 3 cups flour to make a roux the consistency of wet sand. Brown roux, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes. Add onions, peppers, celery, garlic, Herbs de Provence, bay leaves and crushed tomatoes, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock and salt, stir, and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Return pork to Dutch oven and simmer over medium low heat for 2 hours, until meat is very tender.
• While pork is cooking, bring a gallon of water to boil in a large pot and whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes, whisking often to prevent sticking. Reduce heat to low and cook grits for 1 1/2 hours more, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, fold in butter, and season with salt.
• Season pork to taste and serve over grits.