Grits & Grillades

Grillades come from the French word "to grill".  It is believed the dish was first created by the butchers in early Louisiana.  The boucherie sliced thin slivers of meat called "grillade" and cooked in a black iron skillet.  This made a perfect mid-morning meal for the hungry workers, especially when served with hot grits.  Today, grits and grillades are a tradition for Sunday brunch.  This is a dish you will find in all social settings. 

Ingredients:

• 2 lb round steak
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1/2 cup celery chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper chopped
• 1/4 cup garlic minced
• 2 T. flour
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 3 cups beef stock
• 2 T fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

Cut round steak into thin strips and pound lightly.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  In a cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Brown steak on all sides.  Remove meat.  Additional olive oil may be added to the skillet if needed.  To the skillet add the Holy Trinity* (onion, bell pepper, celery & garlic).  Saute until vegetables are wilted 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle with flour and blend until all lumps are gone.  Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, blending well.  Stir in stock.  Add basil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.  Add meat to the skillet and bring to rolling boil.  Reduce to simmer, cover and cook 1-1/2 hour until meat is tender. Stir occasionally and add additional stock as needed during cooking.  Add seasonings if necessary.  Serve over hot, buttered grits.

*The Cajun Trinity is a mixture of chopped onion, bell pepper and celery.  Most Cajuns also add garlic and parsley too. You can’t hardly cook anything Cajun without the “Holy Trinity”. It is a basic ingredient to just about every Cajun dish. Cajuns don’t say, “Add onion, bell pepper and celery”… They say, “Add a cup of “the trinity”.

THE CAJUN TEN COMMANDMENTS

(unaltered original version found in Deut 5:6-12)

• 1. Jus be one God in dat Heaven!
• 2. Don't be having no idols.
• 3. Don't be cussin' at nobody.
• 4. Brought yo-self to church when dey open da doors.
• 5. Listen to you maw-maw an' paw-paw.
• 6. Don't be kilt nobody.
• 7. Ma chere, don't sleep wit yo brother's wife.
• 8. Don't go took nothin' from nobody.
• 9. Always told da whole troot.
• 10. Don't go wish fo yo' neighbor's pirogue or tings.

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