How to Cook Grits and Grillades

Serves: 6-8

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients needed to make Grits and Grillades:

For the grillades:

• 2 lb veal, cut into ¼’’ thick slices
• 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• One can (15 oz) petite-diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• 1 ½ cups beef broth
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ¼ tsp salt
• Unsalted butter + vegetable oil, for frying

For the grits:

• 2 cups stone ground grits
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 7 cups water
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten.

For the garnishing:

• Dash of tabasco sauce
• 2-3 green onions, trimmed and finely sliced

Cooking instructions for Grits and Grillades:

• To make the grillades, toss the black and cayenne pepper, salt and garlic together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Sandwich one veal slice between two plastic sheets and pound it with a meat mallet until it flattens to about 1/8’’ in thickness.
• Sprinkle a pinch of the above mixture onto the veal slice and rub all over its either ends; set aside.
• Process and season the other veal slices in a similar fashion and set aside.
• Spread the flour in a flat plate and keep it aside until necessary.
• Add 2 tbsp of butter and a tbsp of oil in a large dutch oven and heat it over moderately high heat until the butter melts.
• Place few, seasoned veal slices onto the plate of flour and flip it over to coat either sides well with flour.
• Place the dredged meat on the hot dutch oven and cook each side for a couple of minutes or until it browns uniformly.
• Transfer it to a plate and cook rest of the meat in a similar fashion.
• Throw the celery, onion, green pepper and rest of the prepared seasoning to the pan and stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes or until the veggies soften.
• Add a splash of red wine and scrap out the browned bits adhering to the base of the pan.
• Stir in the stock as well as tomatoes and add the meat to the simmering sauce.
• Put a lid on and continue to cook the mixture for about 1 ½ hours.
• Remove the lid and cook further for another half an hour or until the sauce thickens.
• Whisk in the vinegar and keep warm over slowest heat to keep warm.
• To cook the grits, fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
• Pour in the grits in a steady stream, while whisking it constantly.
• Lower the heat to medium and continue to whisk the grits often, for about 6-8 minutes or until it thickens.
• Reduce it further to lower heat and bring it to a simmer for about 2-3 minutes, while stirring frequently until it softens and thickens further.
• Beat in the butter as well as cream and season with a dash of salt.
• Continue to simmer the mixture for another 5-10 minutes.
• Adjust the seasonings and pour it into serving plates.
• Place the grillades on top and add a dash of tabasco sauce to it.
• Sprinkle green onions on top and serve.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons