Beef and Veal Dishes

Ingredients for 12 servings:

4 pounds beef or veal round steak (1/4" thick)

1/2 cup bacon drippings or vegetable oil

1/2 cup unbleached flour

1 cup Spanish onions, chopped

2 cups thinly sliced green onions

3/4 cup celery, chopped

1-1/2 cups green bell peppers, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups canned or boxed plum tomatoes

1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)

1 cup water

1 cup red wine

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 cups cornmeal grits (polenta)

Trim fat and bone from the meat. Slice meat 1/2"thick. In a heavy skillet heat half of the fat and brown the meat on both sides then remove it to a plate.

Add the remaining fat and the flour. Cook the flour over medium low heat until the flour is a dark, rich brown. Add the onions, green onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic and saute until wilted. Add the tomatoes, thyme and cook 3 minutes more. Add the wine and water and stir until the mixture is completely mixed.

Return the meat to the pan along with the salt, pepper, bay leaves, Tabasco and Worchestershire. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer the meat up to 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the parsley. Let the grillades cool and refrigerate overnight. Reheat and serve over grits.

Grits:

Follow directions on the package, removing the grits from the heat when the corn meal is tender and the consistence is still loose.

SKILLET STEAK WITH TASSO MAQUE CHOUX

Ingredients for 12 servings:

4 cups Maque Choux (recipe below)

4 thick strip or rib eye steaks

2 tablespoons Creole Seasoning

2 tablespoon Canola oil

Directions:

• Prreheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour in advance.

• Have the Maque Choux prepared and keep it warm.

• Generrously season the steaks on both sides. Heat the oil in the skillet until it is very hot.  Add the steaks in a single layer and cook on medium high for 2 minutes on each side.  Place in the oven for 10 minutes or longer depending on the temperature desired:  10 minutes/125 degrees for medium rare; 15 minutes/130 degrees for medium.

• Serve, accompanied by Maque Choux and a vegetable with a steak, add a green vegetable and grits..

TASSO MAQUE CHOUX

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces (2/3 cup) diced tasso

Kernels scraped from 4 ears of corn

2/3 cup chopped yellow onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 turns freshly ground black pepper

2 cups whipping cream

2/3 cup minced red bell pepper

2/3 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a deep skillet.  Saute the tasso for 30 seconds in the hot oil.  Add the corn, shake and stir it in the pan for 1 minute.  Add the onions and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute more.  Stir in the cream, bell pepper and green onions and bring to a simmer.  Cook about 2 minutes more.

CHEESE GRITS

Igredients for 6 persons:

3 cups water

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill corn grits

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Bring water to a oil.  Add the salt and gradually stirin the grits.

• Cook slowly, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, until the corn pieces have softened.

• Off the heat stir in the butter.  When it is melted, stir in the cheese.  Serve immideiately.

Ingredients for 4 - 6 servings:

3 pounds bison shortribs (3 - 4 ribs)

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups yellow onion, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup celery, diced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef stock

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Garnish: 1lb. butternut squash, skin on, cut into large chunks

1 cup Bob's Red Barn polenta (medium grind cornmeal)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the bottom portion of a heavy, covered casserole with a thin layer of oil.  Brown the short ribs on both sides over a period of 8 minutes. Add the diced vegetables, pour in the wine and stock. When the liquid has begun to simmer, cover the pan and move it to the oven for one hour. Uncover the pan and move the vegetable pieces from the surface of the meat. Add chunks of squash around the outside of the casserole. Oven braise for another 30 minutes uncovered to brown the meat. Replace the cover and braise an additional 20 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven. Take out the bay leaves and skim fat from the edges of the dish. Simmer for 5 -10 minutes to reduce juices while making polenta. Season juices with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve whole or half ribs over soft polenta with vegetables and pieces of squash.

Polenta: Bring 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually sprinkle on 1 cup polenta, stirring continuously. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, continuing to stir as cornmeal thickens to a soft consistency. Cover the pan and let the polenta sit for five minutes before spooning onto plates.

MULLED WINE APICIUS

Ingredients:

2 bottles white wine

1/2 cup honey

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 teaspoon freshly, ground black pepper

Pinch of saffron

1/2 bay leaf, torn into small pieces

1 date, halved and pitted.

Directions:

Heat 1 cup wine with the honey and other seasonings.  Stir to dissolve the honey.  Add remaining wine and simmer until reduced by half.  Strain and serve hot.