Creole Beef Grillades and Cheese Grits

A grillade is a traditional beef or veal round cut into a square and then pounded thin to be tender. Beef round is the most suitable cut for this dish. Gardner Ranch calves are raised on a diet of grass and clover with the bare minimum of supplements, producing lean yet flavorful meat.

For the Beef Grillades

• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. thyme
• One 3-pound beef shoulder, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick cutlets
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup rendered bacon fat, or 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1 small red or green bell pepper, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes with juices
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce
• Cheese Grits (recipe follows)
• 2 scallions (green parts only), finely chopped, for garnish

For the Cheese Grits

• Coarse salt
• 1 cup stone-ground white corn grits
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs. mascarpone or cream cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Edam or Swiss cheese

Make the Beef Grillades

To make the Creole spices, mix the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and thyme.


Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the flour with the Creole spices, and reserve 1/4 cup. Put the remaining 1-3/4 cups flour in a large, shallow bowl, and then dredge the beef in the flour, shaking off the excess.


Heat the rendered bacon fat or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cutlets until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side, making sure not to overcrowd the pan (you might need to cook in batches). Set aside the cooked cutlets on a paper towel–lined plate.


Add the onions to the same pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the onions are a deep mahog­any color, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add a tablespoon of the reserved seasoned flour to the pan and mix well.


Add the tomatoes and beef stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the thyme, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce; return the beef cutlets to the pan. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the meat is fork-tender. Discard the bay leaf. Add hot sauce to taste and more salt and pepper as desired.


To serve, put a heaping spoonful of Cheese Grits on a serving plate, top with 2 or 3 pieces of beef, and spoon the sauce over the meat. Garnish with scallions.

Make the Cheese Grits

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil while slowly whisking in the grits. Reduce the heat to medium low; cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure the grits aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pan; adjust the heat to low if the grits are cooking too quickly.


Remove the cooked grits from the heat and stir in the butter, mascarpone or cream cheese, and grated cheese. Season with salt to taste and serve warm.

Chili-Cheddar Grits with Grilled Corn and Tomatoes

A good dose of chili powder adds smoky flavor to quickly made grits. Grilled corn and tomatoes, along with Cheddar, make this a rich main course.

• 3 medium ears fresh corn, shucked
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. medium plum tomatoes, halved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) grits
• 4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 4 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)

Prepare a high gas or charcoal grill fire.


Lightly rub the corn with 1 tsp. of the oil. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the remaining 2 tsp. oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.


Put the corn and tomatoes, cut side up, on the grill and cover. Grill, turning the corn occasionally (don’t turn the tomatoes), until the corn is browned in places and the tomato skins have darkened and the flesh has softened, 8 to 12 minutes.


Set aside 4 tomato halves for garnish and put the remaining tomatoes in a food processor; pulse until smooth. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs.


In a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan, bring 3-1/2 cups of water and 2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, chili powder, and the tomato purée. Bring to a boil and stir in two-thirds of the corn kernels and the scallions.


Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, partially covered and stirring frequently, until the grits are tender and thick, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese and a few grinds of pepper; stir until the cheese melts. Divide the grits among 4 soup bowls and top each with a tomato half and some of the remaining corn. Serve immediately.

Country Ham and Cheddar Spoonbread

Grits are the perfect vehicle for smoky country ham and extra-sharp Cheddar in this fluffy, satisfying brunch dish.

• 1 cup grits (preferably stone-ground, not quick-cooking or instant)
• 1 cup whole milk
• Kosher salt
• 4 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (1 packed cup)
• 3 oz. country ham (uncooked or cooked), very finely diced (1/2 cup)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large egg yolks
• 6 large egg whites
• Unsalted butter for the dish

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Put the grits, milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 3 cups water in a 2-quart saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until some of the water has been absorbed but the mixture is still very soupy, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until creamy, soft, and just slightly soupy (it should fall easily from a spoon), 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the cheese and ham to the grits and stir until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with black pepper.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale yellow. Pour 1 cup of the grits into the yolks, whisking constantly. When the mixture is smooth, add the remaining grits to the bowl and whisk thoroughly until evenly combined.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks with an electric mixer. Using a large serving spoon, gently fold the egg whites a third at a time into the grits mixture just until the whites are blended in.

Butter a 3-quart baking dish and pour the grits mixture into it. Bake until the spoonbread is puffed and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving (it will deflate).

Chili-Cheddar Grits with Grilled Corn and Tomatoes

A good dose of chili powder adds smoky flavor to quickly made grits. Grilled corn and tomatoes, along with Cheddar, make this a rich main course.

• 3 medium ears fresh corn, shucked
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. medium plum tomatoes, halved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) grits
• 4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 4 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)

Prepare a high gas or charcoal grill fire.


Lightly rub the corn with 1 tsp. of the oil. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the remaining 2 tsp. oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.


Put the corn and tomatoes, cut side up, on the grill and cover. Grill, turning the corn occasionally (don’t turn the tomatoes), until the corn is browned in places and the tomato skins have darkened and the flesh has softened, 8 to 12 minutes.


Set aside 4 tomato halves for garnish and put the remaining tomatoes in a food processor; pulse until smooth. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs.


In a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan, bring 3-1/2 cups of water and 2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, chili powder, and the tomato purée. Bring to a boil and stir in two-thirds of the corn kernels and the scallions.


Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, partially covered and stirring frequently, until the grits are tender and thick, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese and a few grinds of pepper; stir until the cheese melts. Divide the grits among 4 soup bowls and top each with a tomato half and some of the remaining corn. Serve immediately.

Baked Cheddar Grits with Bacon

Whipped egg whites lighten the grits, giving them a soufflé-like texture.

• Kosher salt
• 1 cup hominy grits (not instant or quick), such as Quaker Old Fashioned
• 1-1/2 cups grated sharp or extra-sharp white Cheddar (about 5 oz.)
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium clove garlic
• 6 strips bacon (about 6 oz.), cooked until crisp and chopped into small bits
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Put 4-1/2 cups water and 1/2 tsp. salt in a 4-quart saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil. Whisk the grits into the pan in a slow stream. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss 1-1/4 cups of the cheese, the flour, thyme, and several grinds of pepper. Chop the garlic, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and mash it into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife. Whisk the mashed garlic, the cheese mixture, and the bacon into the grits until blended and the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Scrape the grits into the large bowl. In a medium bowl beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt with a hand mixer until they just hold stiff peaks. In a small bowl, whisk the yolks and cream; whisk this mixture into the grits. With a large spatula, gently stir one-third of the whites into the grits to lighten them and then fold in the remaining whites. Scrape the grits into an 8x8x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese evenly over the grits. Bake until puffed, browned, and bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Chili-Cheddar Grits with Grilled Corn and Tomatoes

A good dose of chili powder adds smoky flavor to quickly made grits. Grilled corn and tomatoes, along with Cheddar, make this a rich main course.

• 3 medium ears fresh corn, shucked
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. medium plum tomatoes, halved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) grits
• 4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 4 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)

Prepare a high gas or charcoal grill fire.


Lightly rub the corn with 1 tsp. of the oil. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the remaining 2 tsp. oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.


Put the corn and tomatoes, cut side up, on the grill and cover. Grill, turning the corn occasionally (don’t turn the tomatoes), until the corn is browned in places and the tomato skins have darkened and the flesh has softened, 8 to 12 minutes.


Set aside 4 tomato halves for garnish and put the remaining tomatoes in a food processor; pulse until smooth. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs.


In a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan, bring 3-1/2 cups of water and 2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, chili powder, and the tomato purée. Bring to a boil and stir in two-thirds of the corn kernels and the scallions.


Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, partially covered and stirring frequently, until the grits are tender and thick, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese and a few grinds of pepper; stir until the cheese melts. Divide the grits among 4 soup bowls and top each with a tomato half and some of the remaining corn. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato & Grits Spoon Bread

Technically, spoon bread is made with cornmeal, but I prefer the texture of this pudding-like dish when made with coarse, country-style grits. Instant grits and even polenta will also give the dish good corn flavor and a wonderful texture. If using one of these substitutions, follow the package directions for cooking times.

For the sweet potatoes:

• 2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in 1-inch chunks
• 2-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 eggs, separated

For the grits:

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1 tsp. chopped shallot
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• Pinch cayenne (optional) 
• 1-1/4 cups stone-ground grits
• 2 Tbs. heavy cream

Put the sweet potatoes in a large pot; cover with water and 1-1/2 tsp. of the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and purée the potatoes in a food mill or ricer. Fold in the remaining 1 tsp. salt, the white pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Set aside.

While the potatoes boil, cook the grits. In a medium heavy-based pot, bring the water, garlic, and shallot to a boil. Add the butter, salt, and cayenne. Gradually whisk in the grits. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the grits are cooked and creamy and just start to pull away from the side of the pot, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the cream.

Heat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, mix the sweet potato purée with the grits. Mix in the egg yolks. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks; gently fold them into the sweet potatoes. Spread the mixture in a 9x13-inch casserole and bake until pudding sets and the top is lightly browned, about 35 minutes.