Let’s Cook Something Southern!

Let’s Cook Something Southern!

Our South Facin’ Cook, Patsy R. Brumfield has been under the weather of late, and she’s also recently relocated and is still settling in, so I’m pinch-hitting on the “food scene.” Hopefully, Patsy will be back with us soon, but until then, hang out with me for a minute and let’s cook something southern!

We’re experiencing record-setting temperatures in Memphis, so most folks are looking for “cool” things to eat like salads and chilled soups, or we’re grilling outside to keep from heating up the kitchen. But a few weeks ago, before the temps hit three digits or slightly below, I made Grillades and Grits for the first time in years. Definitely not a dish that’ll cool anyone down, but delicious!

Grillades, pronounced GREE-ahds, is thinly sliced beef, pork, or veal, pan-fried and simmered in a rich, Creole gravy, and typically served alongside or over grits. I first experienced Grillades and Grits when my sister would occasionally serve it to her family for dinner, and my subsequent encounter with it was at Café Sbisa in New Orleans. It’s a dish frequently on brunch menus in the Crescent City.

Although I have my sister’s recipe for Grillades and Grits, when I made it a few weeks ago I followed iconic chef Paul Prudhomme’s version from his classic cookbook, Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen. A native of Louisiana, Prudhomme was the first American executive chef at Commander’s Palace in the Garden District in New Orleans. He eventually opened his own restaurant, K-Paul’s, in the French Quarter, which he ran for a time while simultaneously working at Commander’s. He ultimately found that too taxing and left there to work full-time at his own establishment, appointing Emeril Lagasse as his replacement as executive chef at Commander’s. K-Paul’s was forced to close for a time after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  However, during a ten-day period Prudhomme and his team cooked over 6,000 meals for the military and residents in the French Quarter at one of the relief centers. The celebrity chef died in 2015.

At first glance Paul Prudhomme’s recipe may seem a little complicated, but it includes his seasoning mix, which you will have enough of to use in other dishes. The book also includes directions for making a roux, but if you’re already comfortable making one, the recipe isn’t that difficult. The end result of Grillades and Grits is worth every bit of trouble you’ll go through.

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Grillades and Grits

Seasoning Mix:

 1 tablespoon salt

1½ teaspoons onion powder

1½teaspoons garlic powder

1½ teaspoons ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)

1 teaspoon white pepper

Teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon gumbo filé (filé powder) optional

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1½ teaspoons minced garlic

7 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds veal chops or shoulder steaks, cut in 8 equal portions (I used round steak)

1 cup all-purpose flour, in all

4 bay leaves

4 cups beef stock

1 cup canned tomato sauce

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well. Combine the onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic in a medium-size bowl and set aside.

In a large heavy skillet heat the oil to about 350. Meanwhile, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix on the meat, seasoning both sides. In a pan thoroughly combine ½ cup of the flour with 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix. Dredge meat lightly in the flour, shaking off excess. Fry the meat in the hot oil until golden brown, about 1 to 3 minutes per side. (If the drippings start to burn, change the oil.) Without draining, transfer the meat to a plate. Leave the oil in the skillet over high heat; gradually add the remaining ½ cup flour to the hot oil and stir constantly with a long-handled metal whisk or wooden spoon until smooth, being careful not to scorch the roux or splash it on your skin. Continue cooking and whisking constantly until roux is medium brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add the vegetable mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Stir in the bay leaves and 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mix. Continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

Meanwhile, place 4 cups stock in a 5½-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add roux mixture by spoonsful to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Add the meat and tomato sauce and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the meat is tender and the flavors are married, about 30 to 40 minutes, (I cooked longer) stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom well. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Make the grits (preferably stone-ground) according to package directions. Place ½ cup grits and a portion of the meat on each plate and pour about ½ cup gravy over the meat.

Deborah Fagan Carpenter

Photos: Deborah Fagan Carpenter