Busters And Grits Recipes

NEW ORLEANS GRILLADES AND GRITS

Steps:

• Combine the 1/2 cup flour, salt and one teaspoon of Creole Seasoning in a shallow bowl. Dredge the pieces of beef in the flour, shaking off the excess and transfer to a large plate.
• Heat the oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Place the beef in the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd, and fry on both sides until browned. Transfer the beef to a plate.
• Saute the onions in the skillet until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the bell pepper and celery and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and saute for another 4-5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits in the skillet. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
• Melt the 5 tablespoons of butter or olive in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the 1/3 cup flour and whisk constantly until the mixture is a rich brown, about 4 minutes. Add the beef broth and red wine vinegar, whisking continually until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
• Return the vegetables to the skillet and add the Creole Seasoning and bay leaves. Return the beef to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally.Stir in the parsley and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves.
• Serve the grillades and gravy ladled over hot grits (see below).
• For the Grits: In a 5-quart pot over medium-high heat, bring the milk and salt to a simmer, stirring regularly to prevent the milk from burning.
• Slowly add the grits in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the grits are thick and tender.

BASIC OLD-FASHIONED GRITS

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Gradually add the grits, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until tender, about 20 minutes. If the grits seem too thick, thin with water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.
• Stir in the butter and season with pepper. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

BASIC CREOLE SPICES

Steps:

• 1. Mix together the celery salt, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and allspice in a bowl. Transfer the spices to a clean container with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and store.

BASIC CRAB STOCK

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Cook the onions, celery, carrots, leeks, and garlic, stirring often, until they are soft but not brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken bones and carcass, the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and 3 quarts water. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface, until the stock has reduced by half, about 2 hours.
• Strain through a fine sieve into a container with a cover. Allow the stock to cool, cover and refrigerate, then skim off the fat. Freeze the stock in small batches to use later.

BUSTERS AND GRITS

Steps:

• 1. Bring 4 cups lightly salted water to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Slowly pour the grits into the boiling water, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low. Stir the grits often to make sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Simmer until all the water has been absorbed and the grits become soft, about 20 minutes.
• 2. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the butter and the mascarpone. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the grits to keep a crust from forming.
• 3. Whisk together the milk, eggs, cornmeal, flour, and Creole Spices in a medium bowl until smooth.
• 4. Heat the canola oil in a deep skillet over high heat until it reaches a temperature of 350° on a candy thermometer. Dip the crabs in the cornmeal batter, then fry the crabs, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes. Remove crabs from skillet and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
• 5. Heat the Crab Pan Sauce along with the garlic and green onions in a small saucepan over moderate heat.
• 6. Bring to a boil, stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the Tabasco, and season with salt and pepper. Once you've added the butter, remove from heat.
• 7. Spoon grits into a large serving bowl. Ladle a generous amount of sauce around the grits, then put the fried soft shells on top of the grits.