American Red Cross Hurricane Relief

I've been watching the news reports of the devastation, and it's making me sick. The streets of the neighborhoods look like canals with roofs. I still haven't heard from most of my friends from New Orleans, I hope they are alright, and if they are lucky enough to have their lives, their homes may be a different story. I can't imagine losing my home, it's my refuge, my sanctuary. Lets help these folks affected by Hurricane Katrina out, the ones who have lost their sanctuary.

If you are interested in making a contribution to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Relief, here is a link where you can do it! The donations supply hundreds of thousands of victims that were left homeless by Hurricane Katrina with critical necessities.

American Red Cross Contribution Form

Muffuletta Bread Recipe at NOLA Cuisine

Pict0059
Originally uploaded by Danno1.

I just posted the Muffuletta Bread Recipe at NOLA Cuisine! There is also a link to the rest of the pics of last week's Muffuletta. It was so darned good I cried when I took the last bite. Well, not really but I cried on the inside.

New Recipe at NOLA CUISINE

My new site is up and running, I will continue to post here as well. Check out the recipe for Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream at NOLA Cuisine! This recipe is so overindulgent, it's sinful.

From Woodstoves to Microwaves...Cooking with Entergy

The good folks at Mr. Lake's Nonpompous New Orleans Food Forum suggested a cookbook to me, From Woodstoves to Microwaves...Cooking with Entergy. It's a great one with a lot of "lost" Louisiana recipes, ones that have been forgotten over the years, the kind that I like. If you click the title of this post you can download it for free in Adobe Acrobat form, great stuff. Thanks again to Schatze and the folks at Mr. Lake's for the great suggestion!

Texas Chef's Bread Pudding Recipe

Check out my good friend Bill Moran's Bread Pudding recipe at his new blog Texas Chef! I recently picked up one of Bill's cookbooks, Cocina Ranchera. The first half centers on traditional Mexican Ranch Cooking, and the latter half features Bill's creations based on the traditional ingredients. I really enjoyed the historical information as much as the recipes. In my humble opinion, the worst cookbooks are the ones that only contain recipes, Cocina Ranchera does not fall into that category. One of the highlights of the cookbook for me was the section on Chili Peppers. If you love Southwest Cooking, Check out Cocina Ranchera! By the way, this is not an advertisement, I'm just passing on a really good cookbook; from one cookbook lover to another.
I've been talking to Bill via Email for a few weeks now, and I have to tell you, He also knows his stuff in the New Orleans Cuisine department, as well as Southwest! If you love these Cuisines give him a shout at Texas Chef, I'm sure he would be glad to hear from you!

Southern Biscuits - Article & Recipe

Check out this great article and recipe for Southern Biscuits sent to me by Cookie Jill of Cookies In Heaven! Thanks Jill!

Hurricane Dinner at YatCuisine

dennis
Originally uploaded by Danno1.

Check out YatCuisine's tips for cleaning out your Fridge and Freezer as Dennis approaches. By the way, doesn't Dennis sound like too nice of a guy to knock your house down? They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel for these names. No wonder no one wants to flee. Oooh, Dennis is coming. Ivan was a good name for a hurricane, unfortunately he lived up to his name.

The Mint Julep

I'm a few months late with this post by some standards, but not by mine, afterall, this isn't "Kentucky" Cuisine. I like to have my first Mint Julep when it tastes best; that is, when it's hotter than hell outside. There is no better time for a Mint Julep in New Orleans, or Detroit for that matter, than summertime.
To me a Mint Julep instantly evokes visions of Plantation Homes of old during the swelter of Summer, maybe a table underneath Spanish Moss-draped Live Oaks, and a glistening silver cup, beaded with sweat and garnished with an emerald sprig of mint. Ah, what could be more refreshing than that.

The Mint Julep Recipe

6 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 Tbsp Simple Syrup (See Note *)
2 oz. Bourbon (I like Maker's Mark)
Crushed Ice (See Note **)
Wooden Spoon
Rocks Glass (use a silver cup if you have one!)

Combine the mint and simple syrup in the bottom of the glass. Using the handle end of the spoon, smash the leaves into the simple syrup (muddle). Add the Bourbon, then the top with lots of crushed ice, stir, trying to keep the mint leaves on the bottom of the glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.

*Note - Simple Syrup is equal parts (by volume) water and sugar, cooked just until the sugar disolves. I make a 1 Cup batch and keep it in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator.

**Note - It's important to use Crushed Ice, it keeps the mint on the bottom of the glass while you're sipping.

Makes 1 Cocktail.

If you don't have a taste for Bourbon, try a Mojito over at Cook's Journal. It's a Cuban Rum drink that is very similar.

Also, check out this great idea for making Mint Juleps from the Food Network that my good friend Tom emailed me. Very cool idea, I will have to try it!

Other New Orleans Cocktail Recipes from this site:

The Sazerac
The Ramos Gin Fizz

Okra Jambalaya Recipe

I've been doing some research into Cuban Cuisine lately and I came across a recipe called Arroz Con Quimbombo, or Rice with Okra. It is cooked in the Spanish Paella style, using Chorizo, and Spanish Valencia rice, which is similar to Arborio. I'm very intrigued by Cuban cooking right now, it has a lot in common with Louisiana's Cuisine, with it's Spanish, African, and Creole influences. I didn't get around to making the Cuban dish yet, but it inspired me to make this into a Jambalaya, I will make it in the Cuban style later in the week which will be posted at Cook's Journal. I love exploring root dishes, and it is plain to see (IMO) that Jambalaya is a derivitive of Paella.
I love fresh Okra, and anyone who loves Okra knows that it goes wonderfully with Tomato, which is also featured in this recipe. As I've said in the past, I always finish my Jambalayas in the oven, I find the even heat produces a better textured rice. I use a cast iron pot here, some folks will pass out if they see you cook okra in a cast iron pot, personally, I have yet to notice any discoloration in Okra that has been cooked in cast iron.

Okra Jambalaya Recipe

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup Andouille Sausage, Diced
1/2 Cup Tasso, Diced
1/2 Cup Onion, Diced
1/2 Cup Bell Pepper, Diced
1/2 Cup Celery, Diced
2 Tbsp. Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Tomataoes, Diced
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 tsp Fresh Oregano, Chopped
1/4 Cup White Wine
1 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Cup Enriched Long grain Rice
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Okra, sliced into 1/2" rounds
(Seasoning Mix: 1/2 tsp Cayenne, 3/4 tsp White Pepper, 1/2 tsp Black Pepper, 1 tsp Kosher Salt, 3 Bay Leaves)
Chopped Parsley
Green Onion, Thinly Sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a cast iron dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the Andouille and Tasso until slightly browned, then add 1/2 of the trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery), saute until tender. Add the Okra and Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the Tomato and cook for about 1 minute, then add the Tomato Sauce, Fresh Thyme, and Oregano, cook 1 minute more. Add the Rice, cook 1 minute. Add the stock, garlic, white wine, bay leaves, seasoning mix, and the other half of the trinity. Stir well and bake uncovered for about 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked, but still has a little bite. Stir in the chopped parsley, and sliced green onions. Enjoy!

This would also be wonderful topped with Creole Sauce.

Makes 3-4 Servings

Other Jambalaya Recipes:

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya
Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya

Other Recipes using Okra:

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Five Favorite (Food) Books

I was tagged by B at Culinary Fool to do the favorite book meme, so here it is:

Number of Cookbooks I've owned: Right now about 86, 25 of these being Creole and/or Cajun. I've owned more cookbooks in the past, which I've donated to the library during moves.

Last book that I bought: Great Restaurants of the World: Commander's Palace

Last (Food) book I read: What Einstein Told His Cook by Robert L. Wolke
Cookbooks: I'm Just Here For The Food by Alton Brown
Bouchon by Thomas Keller

Five Cookbooks that mean a lot to me: I love all of my Cookbooks, I use all of them at least on a weekly basis, not to mention the 10 or so I usually have out from the Library. But here is my list.

1.) Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen
2.) All of Mario Batali's books, Molto Italiano is getting to be one of my faves.
3.)Both Commander's Palace cookbooks, the 1984 by Ella & Dick Brennan, and the 2000 by Ti Adelaide Martin and Jamie Shannon.
4.)The Picayune's Creole Cookbook - A reprint of the 1901 edition with notes from Marcelle Bienvenu
5.)The Joy of Cooking - Always my first resource when I have a question.
I'm cheating:
6.)The Food & Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas
7.)Creole Gumbo and All That Jazz by Howard Mitcham

Which Five People would I most like to see fill this out: (I don't think any of these folks have done this yet.
1.)Jill at Cookies In Heaven
2.)Caryn at Delicious! Delicious!
3.)Chuck Taggart at The Gumbo Pages (Looka!)
4.)Kevin at Seriously Good
5.)Carolyn at 18thC Cuisine
6.)Mario Batali

Pain Perdu with Pecan Cane Syrup and Bananas Brulee

Pain Perdu or Lost Bread is a brunch and breakfast favorite in New Orleans. If you have leftover French Bread from the night before, this is an easy, economical, and wonderful breakfast, I'm eating it right now as a matter of fact :). It will turn out best if you use lost bread, or stale bread, if your bread is too fresh it will get soggy and lose some of it's texture. Still good, mind you, but not as good. I have an interesting classic Creole recipe for this from the 1901 Picayune's Creole Cook Book, the batter used is as follows:

5 Eggs
2 Tbsp of Orange Flower Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
The Finely Grated Zest of a Lemon
3 Tbsp Brandy

I will have to try this one sometime, sounds interesting, and of course they fry the bread in Lard. Ahh, the Good Old Days! Of course, Lard has only half of the Cholesterol of butter, which I use, so I shouldn't talk. If you don't have Steen's Cane Syrup, you could use Molasses, or good old Maple Syrup. If you can find it though, (found it!), it's a great product. Here is my version of Pain Perdu:

New Orleans Cuisine Recipe - Pain Perdu with Pecan Cane Syrup and Bananas Brulee

3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/8 Cup Banana Liquer
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
A dash of Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
Leftover French Bread, Cut into 3/4" thick Slices
(This recipe will make enough batter for 3-4 servings.)

Pecan Cane Syrup (Recipe below)
Bananas Brulee (Recipe below)
Mint Sprig
Powdered Sugar (Optional)

Whisk together the Eggs, Milk, Banana Liquer, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg. Heat the Oil and Butter (this will keep the butter from burning) over medium heat. When hot, dredge the bread slices in the batter, making sure they soak up quite a bit, then place the bread in the oil/butter mixture and fry until they're a nice golden brown on both sides and cooked through. You can keep them warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

Serve drizzled with the Cane Syrup (recipe below), dividing the Pecans between plates. Garnish with the Bananas Brulee (recipe below) and the Mint. Give a dusting of Powdered Sugar if desired.

Serve with Cafe Noir, Cafe au Lait, or if you're in the mood a Ramos Gin Fizz!

Pecan Cane Syrup

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1/4 Cup Pecan Halves
1/2 Cup Steen's 100% Pure Cane Syrup
1 Tbsp Bourbon (optional)

Heat the butter and Sesame Oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the Pecans, and saute until Fragrant. Add the Steen's and Bourbon, mix well and keep warm for serving.

Bananas Brulee

1 Banana (per guest)
Granulated Sugar
Kitchen Torch

Cut the Bananas in half lengthwise. Cover the flat sides with a heavy coating of sugar, as in Creme Brulee. Flame with the torch until the sugar is Caramelized and has a hard shell.

Pommes Frites or French Fry Recipe at Cook's Journal

Check out my Pommes Frites Recipe at Cook's Journal. Coming soon here, since I'm in the mood to fry Potatoes, and the frying techniques are so similar, Pommes Souffle! Those wonderful little fried Potato Puffs of air made famous by Antoine's, Galatoire's, and most of the other "old line" Creole restaurants. Coming very soon.

New Orleans Cuisine - Shrimp Remoulade Recipe

Shrimp Remoulade (pronounced ruma-lahd) is a nice first coarse cold appetizer, because the sauce has a nice zip to it that really gets your taste buds jumping. Of course, the most important thing about this dish is the Shrimp. There is nothing worse than bland, overcooked Shrimp, so I've included my recipe (which is actually more of a technique). As far as the best Shrimp Remoulade in New Orleans, I'll leave that up to you and the comments section, as always your comments are always appreciated! One that I had in the city was at Arnaud's, which is supposed to be famous for it's Remoulade, called Shrimp Arnaud. I thought it was too heavy on the horseradish personally, and I'm a guy that likes horseradish. I like a balance of flavors, all I got out of the one at Arnaud's was nostril flare.
There are two types of Remoulade sauces in Louisiana, and probably a million recipes for each. One is a white, mayonnaise based style, similar to the French Bistro Classic, Celeriac Remoulade. The other is a red version, the version I prefer, and the one which is below. This sauce is best if made a day ahead to let the flavors marry. The Recipe:

Remoulade Sauce Recipe

1 Large Rib Celery, Chopped
2 Green Onions, Chopped
1 Garlic Clove, Chopped
1 Tbsp Italian Parsley, Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp Creole Mustard
2 Tbsp Paprika
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Horseradish
2 tsp Hot Sauce
2 Tbsp Ketchup
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper To Taste
1/2 tsp Cayenne or to taste

Combine the above ingredients in a food processor, process until smooth. With the motor still running, slowly drizzle in:

1 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

The emulsion should be fairly thick. Adjust the seasonings and refrigerate overnight.

For the Shrimp, I used a 26-35 Ct Shrimp. When cooking Cocktail Shrimp it's important to leave the shells on, both for flavor and to prevent the shrimp from curling up too much. I don't cook these long at all, it's actually more of a steep. This is for a small portion:

Boiled Shrimp Recipe

1 tsp Mustard Seed
1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
3 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Cayenne
2 Fresh Bay Leaves
1 Rib Celery Chopped
1 tsp Whole Allspice
5 Whole Cloves
1 1/2 Lemon
6 Cups Water

Combine the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 20-30 minutes. Prepare an ice bath, call it 6 cups ice and 6 cups cold water. Return the liquid to a boil. Add:

16 Shrimp (26-35 Ct)

Turn off the heat. Wait 2 minutes (make sure the Shrimp are white all the way through), then remove them to the ice bath. When they're completely cooled, remove the shell and tail, then devein.

Marinate the shrimp in the sauce for about 30 minutes, I don't like to keep them in too long.

To serve the Shrimp Remoulade, cover the base of 2 chilled appetizer or salad plates with shredded lettuce. Tastefully arrange the shrimp on top of the lettuce, 8 per plate, and garnish with green onions, thinly sliced on the bias.

Serves 2.

New Orleans Coffee and Chicory

New Orleans is a coffee town, they take their coffee very seriously, so for my post I decided to ask the good folks at Mr. Lake's NonPompous New Orleans Food Forum, most of which are locals, how they like their Coffee and Chicory. It seems the local brands of choice are Community, Union, and Cafe du Monde (CDM). As far as Coffee Stands, although everyone likes Cafe du Monde, the real fondness and nostalgia seems to be for the Morning Call coffee stands. My friends M.A. and S.A. over at The Wreckroom drink Community Coffee and prefer Morning Call as well. Morning Call is no longer in the French Quarter, but they have 2 locations in Metarie. Here is the info:

MORNING CALL COFFEE STAND
3325 Severn Ave., Metairie 885-4068
4436 Veterans Memorial Blvd. (Clearview Mall), Metairie 779-5348

If you've never been to New Orleans, they love their coffee strong! Real strong. JDM from Mr. Lake's describes the coffee best with a traditional Cajun French rhyme:

Noir comme le Diable;
Fort comme la Mort;
Doux comme l'Amour;
Et chaud comme l'Enfer.

English Translation:

Black as the Devil;
Strong as Death;
Sweet as Love;
And hot as Hell.

Thanks to everyone at Mr. Lakes for sharing all of the great info! Here is a link to the thread.

The classic way to make a good cup of Coffee and Chicory, or Cafe Noir, is with an Old- Fashioned drip Coffee pot, or Biggin. The object is to get all of the flavor out of the beans and Chicory, and into the coffee. Here is how I make Cafe Noir.

Cafe Noir

Here is the ratio I use, I think it's pretty standard, if I'm wrong please say so in the comment section:

For every 1 Cup of water
1 Heaping Tablespoon of drip ground Coffee and Chicory
(Mr. Lake suggests adding a pinch of salt to the ground coffee)

Place the coffee in a drip style coffee pot, lined with a filter. Starting with cold water, bring the water just to a boil. Pour a small amount over the grounds, just enough to moisten them. Add about 1/2 cup of or so of water at a time, do not add more until the previous addition has completely dripped through. Continue until you've used the remaining water. Serve.
You can keep the coffee hot in a Carafe or in a Bain Marie on the stove.

Now that you have a nice cup or pot of Cafe Noir, you can either add milk or half & half, and or sugar, or you can make Cafe au Lait.

Cafe au Lait

Cafe au Lait is nothing more than equal parts of scalded milk (Milk brought just to a boil) and Cafe Noir, sugar optional. The classic presentation is two pots, one with coffee, one with milk, poured into the cup at the same time in one long stream.

Serve Cafe au Lait with the classic accompaniment Beignets.

Side note - Don't try to order a Cafe au Lait outside of New Orleans. Chuck Taggart's rant on Coffee house Cafe au Lait at The Gumbo Pages is right on the money.

Future coffee post....the show stopping Cafe Brulot.

Chicory

New Orleans is a coffee town, and you can't talk about New Orleans Coffee without first discussing Chicory. Coffee and Chicory (Chik-uree) go hand in hand in New Orleans, so before I write my Coffee post, I will first post on Chicory.
Chicory describes a group of bitter greens in the sunflower family, the likes of which, those of us who love to cook are very familiar: Belgian Endive (Witloof), Curly Endive (or Frisee), Escarole, and Raddichio. The Chicory we're interested in here, the one used for extending coffee, Cichorium Intybus, is a perennial herb, which grows wild in parts of the country, and has flowers that are usually blue. It has a root resembling a white carrot, getting as large as 2" at the top and 14" long. Before Chicory root is used for coffee, it is sliced, kiln-dried, roasted with a little oil until dark, and ground to desired fineness. The addition of Chicory to Coffee makes it stonger, thicker, and slightly bitter. I think it adds an almost unsweetened Chocolate flavor and consistency.
I've read different versions of who first starting using Chicory to extend coffee, here is what I've heard. The first known use was in the 1600's, some say of Dutch origin (as am I), some say French, some say Chicory was first used to extend coffee for Napoleon's troops. As far as New Orleans and the United States is concerned, maybe it started during the Civil War due to Naval blockades, which blocked the import of coffee. Maybe the French brought it with them. Who knows? One thing I do know is that Chicory makes New Orleans Coffee distinctive from all other Coffees in the States, and possibly the world.
Certain grocery stores in my area sell Ground Roasted Chicory on its own for extending coffee, and French Market brand Coffee with Chicory, which is what Commander's Palace uses, is available just about anywhere. If you live in the Detroit area, Rafal Spice Company in Eastern Market sells a whole bean, New Orleans Style Coffee with Chicory that is very good.

Prime by Poppy Z. Brite

I just finished the novel Prime by Poppy Z. Brite, which is the follow up to Liquor. I loved both books, she really captures what it is like to work in a restaurant, all of the pleasures, frustrations, and unpleasantries. These novels are a foodies dream, both set in New Orleans in a restarant where the main ingredient in every dish is laced with Liquor, which is also the restaurants name, run by Rickey and G-Man. The main ingredients in these novels are Food and New Orleans, two things I can't get enough of, obviously. Apparently she is working on a 3rd Rickey and G-Man novel, I'll be waiting. Make sure you read these on a full stomach, you'll be standing at the fridge after a couple of chapters.

Also, a new post at Cook's Journal, Homemade Flour Tortillas; I've been on a real Southwest and Mexican food kick lately!

Homemade Beignets

Beignets
Originally uploaded by Danno1.

Here is a pic of the Homemade Beignets from last Tuesday. I think I'm going to have to make some more this weekend. Here is the recipe in case you missed it, they turned out absolutely perfect, as light as little powdered sugar covered pillows.

Also, here is a link to the Pic of my Char-Grilled Pizzas at Cook's Journal!

Shrimp Taco Recipe at Cook's Journal

Here is a link to my Shrimp Taco recipe at Cook's Journal.
Sadie Mae said:

Do you have a recipe for Shrimp Taco's? If so please share...thanks S.A.

Here you are S.A.!

New Orleans Cuisine - Beignet Recipe

I just made my wife and I a whole bunch of Beignets for breakfast, I am so full. If you haven't been to New Orleans you've probably never eaten a Beignet, but you've probably had something similar. If you are unfamiliar, Beignet (ben-YAY) is French for Fritter, in New Orleans they're square and topped with a firestorm of powdered sugar and usually served with a steaming cup of Cafe au Lait. Cafe au Lait is equal parts piping hot milk and good, strong Coffee with Chicory (New Orleans Coffee will be another post).
The big place in New Orleans for Beignets and Cafe au Lait is Cafe Du Monde on Decatur on the riverside of Jackson Square, which is legendary, and I guess you have to go once, which I did. The Beignets and Cafe au Lait are great, but I'm not into tourist traps; even when I'm a tourist. I prefer Cafe Beignet on Royal Street (they have a few other locations in the French Quarter), which is a little more low key.
Cafe du Monde also sells a Beignet batter mix that is widely available, I made mine from scratch. The recipe:

New Orleans Cuisine - Beignet Recipe

1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast
3/4 Cup Water (110 degrees F)
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Beaten Egg
1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk
3 1/2 - 3 3/4 Cups A.P. Flour
1/8 Cup Shortening
Vegetable Oil for Frying
Powdered Sugar in a shaker or sifter

Combine the Yeast, Water, and Sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (You could also make this in a food processor, or the old fashioned way, by hand). Let this sit until frothy, about 5 minutes, then add the Salt, Egg, and Evaporated Milk. Mix on low speed, then add half of the flour until it starts to come together, then add the shortening. When the shortening is incorporated start adding the remaining flour, a little at a time until most of it is incorporated. At this time I always turn the dough onto a floured bench to finish by hand, just like when I make bread; it's a touch thing. Knead the dough adding just enough flour as necessary to make a non-sticky, smooth dough. Place the dough into a large oiled bowl, loosely cover and let rise (I made mine last night and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator).
After the dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down and turn it onto a floured surface and roll out into a rectangle that is about 1/2" thick. With a very sharp knife working at a diagonal to the rectangle, cut into 2" wide strips. Now cut into diamond shapes by making diagonal cuts in the opposite direction. Place the Beignets on a floured baking sheet to let rise about 40 minutes in a warm place (I place them in a barely warm oven).
When the Beignets have risen, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 350-360 degrees. Place 2-3 Beignets into the hot oil at a time, being careful not to smash or deflate them. When they are golden brown, flip them over until golden brown on the other side (They go pretty quickly so start checking them right after they go into the oil). Remove to paper towel lined plates to drain. Serve hot topped with plenty of powdered sugar (because the dough doesn't contain much sugar, you will want a lot!). Best served with Cafe au Lait. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 dozen.

**NEW** For more on Beignets & Cafe au Lait check out the Coffee and Doughnuts Podcast at YatPundit New Orleans Food! Be sure and check out my Creole & Cajun Recipe Page as well as my Bibliography of Creole & Cajun Cookbooks!

New Orleans Cuisine - Grillades and Grits

This is a terrific, hearty meal that is generally eaten at breakfast or brunch in New Orleans, I like it for a Sunday evening meal. Grillades (pronounced GREE-yahds) are made with Round Steak, of Beef or Veal, although you could use pork. This dish like many other greats from New Orleans, comes from meager times, when a piece of meat needed to be stretched to feed a whole family. A Grillade is a square of meat cut from the Round Steak, or whichever piece of meat that you've chosen. I love to take an inexpensive, tough cut of meat, and turn it into something spectacular! Round Steak is a powerhouse of flavor, that with some time and tenderness will be tender and mouthwatering.
Grits have never really caught on with most Yankees, I don't understand this because a lot of folks go crazy over Polenta, which is basically a yellow version of Grits. I personally think it's all about the name; Polenta flows from the tongue, while the word Grits comes from your mouth like a shotgun blast! This dish will also go nicely with Boiled Rice, but please try it with the Grits, they take on the flavor of the sauce in a really nice, creamy way. I prefer the longer cooking Grits, sometimes called Old Fashioned, which are a little bit harder to find up north as opposed to the instant variety. If you're not crazy about just plain old Grits, get fancy and serve this alongside Caryn's Gorgonzola Grit Cakes from Delicious! Delicious!.

New Orleans Cuisine Recipe - Grillades & Grits

2 lbs Round Steak
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne Pepper
½ Cup Flour seasoned
2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 Medium Onions, Julienned
1 Red Bell Pepper, Julienned
2 Ribs Celery, Julienned
3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
2 Cups Beef Stock
3 Tbsp Homemade Worcestershire Sauce
2 Cups Tomatoes, Chopped
2 Fresh Bay Leaves
1 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
Crystal Hot Sauce to taste
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch (whisked together with 1 Tablespoon Water)
1/4 cup Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Green Onions, thinly sliced on the bias
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Recipe of Grits made according to the Package Instructions

Pound the Round Steak on both sides to about ½ inch thickness, then cut into 4 inch squares. Season the grillades with the salt & cayenne pepper. Combine the flour and Creole Seasoning, dip the Grillades one at a time into the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. In a cast iron dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until very hot, but not smoking. Brown the Grillades well on both sides without burning. Transfer the Grillades to a plate. Drain off the vegetable oil and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the Onions, Bell Pepper, Celery, and Garlic and, stirring frequently, cook until the vegetables are soft but not brown. Stir in the Beef Stock, Wprcestershire, Tomatoes, and Bay Leaves; bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the Grillades and the accumulated juice from the plate back to the pot. Submerge the Grillades in the sauce and simmer for about 1 ½ hours or until they're very tender. When the Grillades are tender remove them to a plate and bring the sauce to a boil. Add the corn starch mixture and whisk until the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the parsley, 1/4 cup of the green onions, red wine vinegar, hot sauce, and salt & pepper. Mound the Grits on 4 heated plates and divide the steaks on top of the Grits. Pour the sauce over the Grillades & Grits, top with the remaining Green Onions and serve immediately.

Serves 4