PORK GRILLADES AND JALAPEÑO CHEESE GRITS

Slow-Cooked Pork Grillades and Jalapeno Cheese Grits

Serves 6-8

4 pounds pork butt, sliced into 1-inch thick cutlets

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon Creole spice blend

1/4 cup rendered bacon fat (or vegetable oil)

1 large onion, small diced

1 stalk celery, small diced

1/2 bell pepper, small diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups tomatoes, diced

2 cups beef stock

1 sprig thyme, picked

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 green onions, chopped

Salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste

Jalapeno Cheese Grits (see bel

1. Season the pork cutlets with salt and black pepper and mix together the flour and Creole spice mix. Dredge the pork in the flour and place into a large pan with the rendered bacon fat on high.

2. Cook the cutlets on both sides until golden brown in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Once all of the pork has browned, add the diced onion to the pan and lower the heat to medium high. Sweat the onions until the become a deep mahogany color and add the celery, bell pepper, and garlic.

3. Continue cooking the vegetables while constantly stirring on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add a tablespoon of the leftover seasoned flour to the pan and stir so that no lumps form.

4. Add the tomatoes and beef stock while stirring, and raise heat to high until the liquid comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add thyme, pepper flakes, bay leaf, Worcestershire, and the pork cutlets back to the pan and continue simmering for 45 minutes or until the meat is fork tender.

5. Season the grillades to taste with salt, pepper, and Tabasco and serve over creamy jalapeño cheese grits.

Jalapeno Cheese Grits

Serves 6-8

1 cup stone ground white corn grits

1 jalapeno pepper

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons mascarpone or cream cheese

1/4 cup grated edam cheese

Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a sauce pot over high heat bring 4 cups of water to a boil while slowly whisking in the stone ground grits. Reduce the heat to medium low and place a cover over the grits to slowly cook for 20 minutes.

3. While the grits are cooking, roast the jalapeno pepper in the oven for 10 minutes so that the skin blisters and can be easily removed.

4. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise and under cold running water remove the skin and the seeds from the pepper. Place the pepper on a cutting board and mince and add it to the pot of grits.

5. Remove the grits from the flame and fold in the butter, mascarpone, and edam cheeses.

6. Season with salt to taste and serve.