Grillades

Grillades is a traditional New Orleans brunch dish that is usually served with grits, affectionately known as “grits and grillades.” Although many recipes vary, the dish consists of veal or beef slow cooked with vegetables. The first time I had this dish was actually in Baton Rouge, LA at one of our friends’ day-after-wedding brunch. Obviously I liked it so much I had to make it at home. It is perfect for a lazy Sunday at home with the family.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Grillades

6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2.25 teaspoons salt
• 1.25 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2-2.5 pounds veal or beef round, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices (I used beef since that was readily available at my grocery store.)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry red wine*
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can petite-dice tomatoes, drained
• 1.5 cups beef broth
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

*I used our favorite Cabernet Sauvignon, J.Lohr. And as always, I reserved the remainder of the bottle to drink with the meal. (Well minus the glass I drank while at the stove. ;))

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Rub the meat slices on both sides with the garlic mixture. Make sure you reserve the garlic mixture if you don’t use all of it.

Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add the butter and olive oil. Place the flour in a shallow plate, and place it by the dutch oven.

Dredge a few slices of meat, at a time, into the flour, shaking gently to remove excess, and place carefully in the butter/oil. Allow the meat to brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove the meat to a plate. Repeat with the remaining slices, being sure not to overcrowd the pot.

Once all the meat has been browned, add the onion, celery, green pepper, and any of the remaining garlic mixture to pot. Stir to combine, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

Next, pour in the red wine, and scrape any browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pan.

Dump in the tomatoes and pour in the beef broth. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.

Return the meat to the pan by gently placing it in the veggies and sauce.

Reduce the heat to a low simmer.  Cover the dutch oven, and cook for 1.5 hours, stirring about every 20-30 minutes.

Uncover the pot, and continue to cook until the sauce has slightly reduced and thickened, about 30-35 minutes longer.

Remove from heat, and finally add the vinegar. Stir keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve with grits!

Enjoy!!

“I want to have a brunch place, a bakery, and a Southern restaurant because my family is from Georgia and then I want a place that is all-over-the-world cuisine. I take a cooking class everywhere I travel. I find its the best way to get to know a culture.” – Blake Lively

Smoked Brisket Pie

The inspiration for this dish came out of having leftover brisket. In the fall, I find myself eating an abundance of it due to football tailgating and parties (and it might just be because I live in Texas 😉). When contemplating what to make, I leaned towards a beef bourguignon because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a red wine braise? This is my Texas spin on a sheperd’s pie.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Smoked Brisket Pie

6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup dry red wine (I used a dry red blend.)
• 6 ounces baby brown mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced
• 2 cups smoked brisket, cubed
• 1 recipe mashed sweet potatoes

Directions:

Place a medium pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and swirl around the bottom of the pot to coat. Add the bell pepper and celery. Sauté until they start to soften, about 5-8 minutes. Next add the shallots and garlic; continue to cook until they have softened and the mixture is fragrant.

Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, thyme, and Herbes de Provence, and pour in the beef broth and wine. Stir, and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow the liquid to reduce by about half and the mixture to thicken.

Once it has thickened, add the mushrooms and brisket. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes to cook the mushrooms and heat through the brisket meat.

Turn the oven to the broiler setting, and spray a 8″x8″ baking dish with nonstick spray.

Carefully ladle and eventually pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top the dish with the mashed sweet potatoes. (I had a little extra time, so I decide to pipe on the potatoes to make it look pretty.)

Place the baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 5 minutes to heat everything up. You can leave it in there for longer if you want to crisp up the top of the potatoes as well – just be sure to keep an eye on it because it can go from a nice golden brown to burnt in a matter of seconds. Serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“Y’know nothin’ goes better with beef than beef!” – Adam Richman

Spaghetti Bolognese

Mmm mmm mmm. The other day I was reminiscing about our Mediterranean cruise from last May. It left from the closest port to Rome, Italy. Of course I consumed more pasta, pizza, and gelato than a normal human should have in the couple of days we saw the sites. So with all this reminiscing, I naturally got hungry…hungry for the simple joy of spaghetti!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Spaghetti Bolognese

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spaghetti, cooked*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

*I had an Oxo container with regular and whole wheat spaghetti all mixed together…that is why mine is different colors. 🙂

Directions:

Cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Strain and set aside.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Next, add the ground beef and pork. Cook for 10 minutes or until well browned, making sure to break up any big pieces. Add tomato paste, stir, and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the broth and red wine. Stir, and cook until it is reduced by about half, about 10-12 minutes.

Finally, add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence, and stir well. Reduce heat to low, and cover with a lid. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid, stir the sauce, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Taste test, and if needed add additional salt and pepper.

Divide the spaghetti among four bowls and ladle the sauce on top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Enjoy!!

“My sisters like cooking at my place. It has a bit more room, and the food tastes a little bit better. A big pot of spaghetti and sauce, some warm French bread – works all the time. I think I’ve been eating pasta for 26 years.” – Tom Brady

Coq Au Vin

Coq au vin is a traditional French dish. Translated it means “rooster with wine.” Of course, these days roosters are not readily available in grocery stores. I make mine with chicken and pinot noir.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Coq Au Vin

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (3-5 pounds) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dusting
• 4 ounces (about 4 slices for me) bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 cup yellow onions, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, smashed
• 8 ounces  baby brown mushrooms, de-stemed and quartered
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 (about 1.5 cups) a 750mL bottle of Burgundry wine (can substitute Pinot Noir – which is what I did since I had some in our wine fridge)
• 2 to 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bundle thyme (about 6-8 stems)*
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 pound (4 ounces) frozen pearl onions, defrosted
• green onions, sliced, for garnish

*I usually tie these together with twine so that I can easily remove it after cooking.

Directions:

Place a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom.

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour on a plate. Coat the chicken with flour on the plate, shake the excess off, and place immediately in the hot pot. Only flour the chicken that fits in the pot.

Brown the pieces on both sides, and then remove from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.

Next, lower heat to medium, and add the bacon to the now empty dutch oven. Once the bacon pieces are brown and crispy, add the celery, carrots, and onion. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until the veggies start to soften, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic to the pot, and cook until fragrant. Next, add the mushrooms, and cook until softened and the mushrooms give off their juices, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour in the brandy, and allow to cook until it is reduced by half. Add the tomato paste, and stir to combine fully. Pour in the wine, and bring the mixture to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Return the legs and thighs of the chicken to the pan (You will add in the breasts and wings in a few minutes.). Pour in enough chicken broth to cover 3/4ths of the chicken. Next, throw in the thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture up to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Taste the mixture, and add additional salt and pepper, if needed. Add the pearl onions, and stir. Partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Once the time has elapsed, turn the legs and thighs over and add the breasts and wings to the pot. If the liquid has cooked off, add more chicken broth to bring it back up to 3/4ths of the chicken. Partially cover the pot again, and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Once cooked, remove the chicken pieces from the pan and skim the top of the sauce, if needed. The sauce should be thick, but if not, cook it uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Remove the bundled thyme. Plate the chicken on top of some mashed potatoes, and a generous amount of saucey goodness. Garnish with green onions.

Enjoy!!

La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin…”Life is too short to drink bad wine” in French

Sirloin Steak with a Mushroom Red Wine Reduction

Steak and potatoes…yum! Sometimes we get a little fancy in our household. It is so much more cost effective to make a delicious steak dinner at home instead of go out. Plus you can eat in your pajamas!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Sirloin Steak with a Mushroom Red Wine Reduction

2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 (1-inch thick) sirloin steaks
• black pepper, freshly ground
• salt
• 1-2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small container (6 ounces) brown mushrooms (I used baby bella), sliced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine (I used a carménère)*
• 3/4 cup chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

*I mainly used this because the bottle had a very deep earthy taste that we enjoy. It was also “made with organically grown grapes. We are green!

Directions:

Bring the steaks to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F, and spray a small foil-covered baking sheet with non-stick spray. Set aside for later.

When the steaks are at room temperature, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the steaks.

Once the skillet is very hot, add the canola oil, and place the steaks in the pan and allow them to brown, untouched, for 3 minutes on each side.

Next move the steaks to the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and turn it OFF. Allow them to rest in the oven without opening it for 10 minutes for a medium-rare steak, or 15 minutes for medium steak.

While the steaks are resting in the oven, work on the sauce. Place the used skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the minced shallots until they start getting soft. At this point, add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are softened.

Add the red wine and use it to deglaze the pan and pick up the meat juices.

Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to boiling. Continue to let it cook until it is reduced to half of the original amount.

Move the mushrooms and shallots to one side of the pan, then add the butter to the liquids. Whisk to incorporate the butter, then stir it all together. Squeeze a splash of lemon juice in and stir one final time.

Plate the steak and top with the mushroom sauce.

Enjoy!!

“Red red wine you make me feel so fine
You keep me rocking all of the time
Red red wine you make me feel so grand
I feel a million dollars when your just in my hand.”
– UB40, Red Red Wine

Baked Penne

Baked Ziti…my mom used to always make it. For some reason it was always hard to find ziti pasta. So most of the time it really was baked “penne.” This is my version of one of my childhood dishes.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Baked Penne

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces non-fat cottage cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 8 ounces whole wheat penne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 links (3/4 pound)  hot turkey Italian sausage
• 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 16 (2 8-ounce cans) ounces tomato sauce
• 7 ounces (about half a 14.5 can) diced tomatoes
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried Herbes de Provence (can substitute dried Italian seasoning)
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves*
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• sea salt
• black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/3 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

*I did not have any fresh basil on hand, but I did have the basil in a tube. I used the equivalent of that in the dish.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F, and spray 8″x8″ pan dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk cottage cheese, egg, and 1/2 cup parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and toss in the pasta; cook until pasta to al dente, 5-7 minutes.  Drain the pasta and set aside in the colander.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium-sized pot/sauce pan over medium heat.  Crumble in the turkey sausage and cook until nearly browned.

Add in the onion and garlic. Continue to cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is completely browned.  Next, stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, herbes de provence, and 1/4 cup dry red wine; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, remove from the heat, stir in basil and the sugar, and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl/measuring cup whisk together the cornstarch and heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to the empty pot you used to cook the pasta in. Place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat, add the cottage cheese mixture, and mix thoroughly. Next add the tomato sauce mixture, 2 ounces fresh mozzarella, and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.

Stir to combine.

Add the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Transfer the pasta to the prepared 8×8″ baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and shredded mozzarella over the top.  Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil from the pan and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes longer.

Cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with additional shredded parmesan and mozzarella if you choose. I serve ours with cheesy garlic bread!

Enjoy!!

“Nothing improves the taste of pasta more than a good appetite.” – Italian Proverb