Chez Starz

My favorite part of my recent trip to New Orleans was my cooking lesson at the New Orleans School of Cooking. This was the main dish we made. We used veal, but the recipe calls for round steak, and I used chicken when I got home. The recipe is served on cheese grits and topped with a poached egg; both recipes are found below. I don’t usually eat veal and probably will not use it for this recipe moving forward, but it was delicious. Use the protein of your choice. Vegetarians could use tofu and vegetable stock. Over the years, I have learned that you can adapt any recipe to your taste; it will change the flavors, but it can still be amazing.

Grillades

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb round steak
• 1 TBS Joe’s Stuff seasoning (or your own seasoning, see note*)
• 1/2 cup flour + 2 TBS
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 celery, diced
• 1 TBS sliced garlic
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 TBS sliced green onion
• hot sauce to taste (optional)
• additional Joe’s Stuff to taste

Directions:

Pound out round steak to about 1/4 inch thick. Julienne the beef into 1/2-inch-thick strips.

Combine flour with Joe’s Stuff and dust the meat; shake off excess flour.

Heat the oil and brown the pieces of meat on each side; remove and set aside.

Reduce heat and add onion, bell peppers, and celery; cook until translucent. Stirring constantly, add the remaining 2 TBS flour and cook on medium heat until the flour starts to brown. Add the garlic, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, tomato, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and add meat. Cook 30-45 minutes until beef is tender. Add hot sauce and seasoning to taste.

Serve over warm grits and garnish with a poached egg and green onions.

Poached Eggs

Ingredients:

• Water
• 1 TBS white vinegar
• 4 large eggs

Directions:

Bring water and vinegar to a simmering boil. Gently crack eggs into a large spoon or ladle, then swirl the water gently. Lower the egg into the simmering liquid. You may need to ladle out an egg to test that the whites are set and the yolks aren’t overcooked.

Tips:

1. Poach 2 eggs at a time to not overcrowd the pot.
2. Use very fresh eggs at room temperature
3. Pour off a small amount of whites before lowering into the pot.

Cheese Grits

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup stone ground grits
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
• 1 TBS cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Bring water, milk, and salt to a boil. Slowly whisk grits into the pot. Reduce to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Before serving, add Romano cheese and cream cheese. Stir until melted.

*Link to buy Joe’s Stuff seasoning:

Joe's Stuff Collection

You can make your own with salt, dehydrated garlic, paprika, and dehydrated onion. I am sure they put some kind of secret ingredient in there that I can’t share.