About Me

I have been cooking my way through life for over 50 years, beginning with mud pies as a child. I've turned a corner now and feel a Renaissance in my life. Recipes and Random Thoughts is my personal spin in a blog about how to prepare good food and how it prepares you for life. I want to share with you, honest to goodness food punctuated with perspective from the special memories and moments that have marked my journey.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Celebrate Mardi Gras With Grillades and Grits

I had to dig deep into my collection of magazines to locate this recipe from The Artist's Palate  and published in the Winter 1988 issue of Veranda.  I hadn't made it in years, but it's fabulous complex flavor is worth the effort for a special event such as Mardi Gras.  Grillades (pronounced GREE-yahds) are a tradition of NOLA during Mardi Gras.  My son is at Mardi Gras right now, sampling the festivities and the food.  Can't wait for a report.

3 lbs. beef chuck cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/4 cups floour
2 tbls. sugar
4 tbls black pepper
1/2 cup bacon fat
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups finely choppedgreen onions
2 cups chopped green peppers
2 cloves, garlic, minced
4 cups peeled, chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tbls. tarragon
1 tbls. ground thyme
1 cup minced parsley
3 tsp salt
 1 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock
 3 cups tay shrimp, peeled and deveined

Flatten meat slices by pounding until the meat almost falls apart. If you don't have a "tenderizer" a heavy skillet will work.  Mix one cup of flour in a bowl with sugar and black pepper.  Use this mix to dredge meat slices.  Heat 2 tbls. of bacon fat in a dutch oven.  Add meat slices and cook over medium heat until brown.  Do not crowd the slices or they will not brown properly.  Remove meat and set aside.  Add the onions, green peppers and garlic. Saute' over medium heat until tender but not brown.  Add tomatoes, Tabasco, tarragon, thyme, parsley and salt.   Set aside.  Make a  roux by mixing the remaining bacon fat and flour in a heavy skillet, cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is a dark caramel color.  Combine roux with the vegetable mixture.  Add wine and beef stock while stirring constantly.  Add meat, cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 2 1/2 hrs. Add shrimp and simmer 20 mins. longer.  Serve hot with grits.  If you've never made grits; use lots of butter and cream.

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