Fat Tuesday Dining-Grillades & Grits

                     Doc Lawrence

Here’s a Fat Tuesday entree courtesy of Emeril. Wildly popular in New Orleans, it has French origins and you won’t be disappointed serving it with hot French bread paired with a few bottles of Gevrey-Chambertin, a delicous Burgundy and one of Napolean’s favorites.

It's a Creole classic that will definitely make you feel as if you’re in New Orleans.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

  

                                 Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 pounds sliced beef top round, cut into roughly 3-inch pieces and then      pounded to 1/8-inch thickness

1/2 cup all- purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 cups small-diced onion

1 cup small-diced red bell pepper

1 cup small-diced celery

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 tablespoon minced garlic

5 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled between your fingers

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled between your fingers

1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crumbled between your fingers

1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomato

            1/2 cup dry red wine

2 cups beef stock or canned low-sodium beef broth

1/4 cup chopped green onion, for garnish

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

                                     Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Combine the black pepper, cayenne, and 2 teaspoons of the salt in a small bowl and stir to blend. Season the pieces of beef evenly on both sides with the salt mixture. Place the flour in a shallow bowl or plastic bag and lightly dredge the beef in the flour, shaking to remove any excess.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is smoking hot, add the meat in batches and cook until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining meat.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter to the pan. When the butter has melted, add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pan and cook, scraping the bottom and sides to loosen any browned bits, until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the bay leaves, dried herbs, and tomato and cook until the tomato begins to give up its liquid, about 4 minutes. Stir in the wine, stock, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Return the beef to the pan, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the grillades are fork-tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Remove the bay leaves.

Serve over the grits, garnished with the green onions and parsley.

Lara Lyn Carter's Super Bowl Recipes

~Doc Lawrence

Before toe meets leather Sunday, Americans gather for the big sports feast. Super Bowl food is notable for casual but tasty dishes, easy to enjoy and often connected to local preferences. Emmy Award winning chef Lara Lyn Carter mastered gameday dining long ago and share with our readers a few of her selection. 

Enjoy the game, load your plates with these great dishes and celebrate the blessings of friendship and family!

Olive Pecan Dip

 6 oz. sliced green olives

½ cup finely chopped pecans

¼. tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. minced garlic

5 tbsp. pecan oil

 Mix all ingredients together and chill for 30 minutes to allow time to

 soften the pecans. Place the mixture into a food processor or blender

 and pulse 5-6 times and serve. You can add or reduce the pepper to your taste.

Sloppy Joe’s

1 lb. ground beef

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup chopped Vidalia onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. dry mustard

8 oz. tomato sauce

1 cup ketchup

Cook beef, onions and peppers in olive oil in a cast iron Dutch oven over medium high heat stirring often. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve over toasted rolls or a plate of fries.

Spicy Pimento Cheese Stuffed Burgers

       FOR THE BURGERS

2 lbs. ground round

4 large bakery style buns

       FOR THE SPICY PIMENTO CHEESE

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated

1/4 cup pepper jack cheese grated

1 tbsp. sour cream

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Divide the beef into 4 equal portions and shape into a ball. Press a “well” or hole in the center of the ball. Combine all of the ingredients together for the pimento cheese. Divide the pimento cheese evenly and stuff the mixture into the hole of the burger. Form the burger to seal off the hole and keep the cheese mixture in the center. Gently pat the burger into patty form. Grill the burger over high heat to sear the burger and keep the cheese mixture from coming out. Cook the burgers evenly on both until desired doneness.

Cinnamon and Spice Chicken Wings

2 1/2 lbs. chicken wings - tips removed

2 tbsp. Georgia Olive Farm Olive Oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 cup of sweet onion diced

1 tbsp. salt

4 tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 tbsp. tomato paste

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the

salt, honey, cinnamon, and tomato paste, stirring well. Remove the skillet from

the heat and stir in the lime zest and juice. Allow the mixture to cool. Divide the

sauce in half. Place the wings in a large plastic bag. Pour one half of the sauce

over the wings. Marinate the wings for 6 - 8 hours or overnight. Reserve the

remainder of the sauce for cooking the wings.

Remove the wings from the marinade and arrange them on a greased baking

sheet. Place the wings in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Warm the remaini

ng sauce slightly. Remove the wings from the oven, drizzle them with the

Chef Lara Lyn Carter

remaining sauce and stir them to coat well. Return the wings to the oven for an additional 15 minutes and serve.