Recipe

Creole Beef Grillades

Step 1: To make the Creole spices, mix the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and thyme.

Step 2: Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the flour with the Creole spices, and reserve 1/4 cup. Put the remaining 1-3/4 cups flour in a large, shallow bowl, and then dredge the beef in the flour, shaking off the excess.

Step 3: Heat the rendered bacon fat or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cutlets until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side, making sure not to overcrowd the pan (you might need to cook in batches). Set aside the cooked cutlets on a paper towel-lined plate.

Step 4: Add the onions to the same pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the onions are a deep mahogany colour, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add a tablespoon of the reserved seasoned flour to the pan and mix well.

Step 5: Add the tomatoes and beef stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the thyme, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce; return the beef cutlets to the pan. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the meat is fork-tender. Discard the bay leaf. Add hot sauce to taste and more salt and pepper as desired.

Step 6: To serve, put a heaping spoonful of Cheese Grits on a serving plate, top with 2 or 3 pieces of beef, and spoon the sauce over the meat. Garnish with scallions.

Cheese Grits

Step 1: In a large saucepan over high heat, bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil while slowly whisking in the grits. Reduce the heat to medium low; cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure the grits aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pan; adjust the heat to low if the grits are cooking too quickly.

Step 2: Remove the cooked grits from the heat and stir in the butter, mascarpone or cream cheese, and grated cheese. Season with salt to taste and serve warm.

Farmers:
John Besh, August, New Orleans, Louisiana
Stuart Gardner, Gardner Ranch, Cankton, Louisiana (beef)

Reprinted with permission from Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer’s Harvest to Heat (2010 Taunton).