Grillades and Grits

Ingredients

• 2 lb beef top round, cut 1/2 inch thick
• 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain flour, for dredging
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp plain flour, for the roux
• 1 large onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 celery ribs
• 4 garlic cloves
• 14 oz tin crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp Creole seasoning
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp salt, for the grits
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 spring onions

Before you cook

• Cut the beef into pieces roughly three inches across.
• Lay the pieces between two sheets of cling film and pound them to a quarter inch thick with a mallet.
• Season the beef all over with the salt and black pepper.
• Spread the dredging flour on a plate.
• Peel the onion and chop it finely.
• Seed the bell pepper and chop it finely.
• Chop the celery finely.
• Peel and mince the garlic.
• Slice the spring onions thinly.

Steps

1. Press each piece of beef into the flour on both sides and shake off the excess.
2. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
3. Brown the beef in batches for 2 minutes a side, until each piece has a hard brown crust.
4. Move the browned beef to a plate and lower the heat to medium.
5. Stir the 3 tablespoons of flour into the fat left in the pan.
6. Cook the roux for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring without stopping, until it turns the colour of peanut butter.
7. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and stir hard; the vegetables will stop the roux from darkening further.
8. Cook the vegetables for 6 minutes, until they slump and soften.
9. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, Creole seasoning and cayenne and cook for 1 minute.
10. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pan clean.
11. Add the crushed tomatoes, the beef stock and the Worcestershire sauce and bring the pan to a simmer.
12. Return the beef and any resting juices to the pan and tuck the pieces under the gravy.
13. Cover the pan and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a fork slides through the beef with no resistance.
14. Bring the water and the teaspoon of salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan.
15. Rain the grits in slowly while whisking so they do not clump.
16. Cook the grits over low heat for 35 minutes, whisking every 5 minutes, until they are thick and tender.
17. Beat the butter into the grits and season them to taste.
18. Skim any fat from the surface of the gravy and taste it for salt.
19. Spoon the grits into wide bowls and lay two or three grillades on each.
20. Ladle the gravy over the meat and scatter the spring onions on top.