Grillade Aux Truffes Recipes

GRILLADE AUX TRUFFES

Steps:

• Choose a large, thick beef steak, lean and tender. Buy it preferably the night before; blanket it with quarters of truffles (fresh or canned), so that they may spend the night together. Then, the next day, spread a thin coating of butter on one side of the steak. Pepper it, but do not use salt. Put it on a grill and broil it over a vigorous fire made with twigs and clippings from grape vines, which, in this case, are far more satisfactory than charcoal.
• As soon as a crust forms on the underside of the steak, place on the upper side (which has not been buttered) the quarters of truffles and liberal lumps of butter. Then slow down the fire. The butter melts, becomes charged with the essence of the heated truffles, and penetrates into the meat.
• Your culinary tact will tell you at what point to remove the truffles and to turn your steak, taking care to stir up your fire of fagots and vines. Replace the truffles on the steak thus turned over and allow it to cook according to your tastes. Then salt it and serve.

CHAUSSONS AUX POMMES

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the apples, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Take off the lid, sprinkle over the granulated sugar, toss in the raisins, if using, and cook until the sugar caramelizes and coats the fruit (by now possibly a shaggy, golden mass, depending on the type of apples). Taste. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you may want a squirt of lemon for balance.
• Roll the pastry out to a large square, about 1/4-inch/5 mm thick. Cut into 4 squares, then roll each one to make it slightly rectangular (not that shape matters one bit). Spoon the fruit mixture over half of each pastry, leaving a 1 cm/5 mm margin. Brush the margins with the egg wash. Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges to seal. Set on a damp baking sheet. Slash the top of each pastry with a knife. Brush with more egg wash and let rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C.
• Bake the pastries for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C and continue baking until golden, puffed up and brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cool slightly on a wire rack and serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

BEEF GRILLADES WITH CHEESY FRESH CORN AND SWEET ONION GRITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the grillades: Cut the steak in half. Sandwich each half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper, and pound to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Sprinkle the steak on both sides with salt and pepper, and cut into 2-inch pieces.
• Mix the paprika, New Mexican chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and chile de arbol powder in a small bowl until combined. Put the flour in a shallow baking dish and season it with salt and pepper.
• Heat the butter and canola oil in a large, high-sided saute pan over high heat. Working in batches, coat the steak pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, and brown them on both sides in the hot fat. Transfer the steak to a plate as you finish each batch. Add the onions, poblano and red pepper to the pan, adding more oil if needed, and cook until the vegetables are very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Return the beef to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven to cook until tender, about 45 minutes.
• When done, remove the beef to a plate and cover to keep warm. Using potholders, move the pan to the stovetop and set over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened into a gravy, about10 minutes. Season with a splash of vinegar. Add honey, salt and pepper to taste; stir in the parsley. Before serving, return the grillades to the pan, cover and warm them up over medium-low heat.
• For the grits: Heat the butter and canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the corn, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes. Add the milk and 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits until well combined and continue whisking until smooth. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and smooth, about 45 minutes; add more water as needed to keep the mixture creamy. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the cheddar and Parmesan and the green onions.
• To serve: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the grillades to a shallow platter. Pour over some of the gravy. Top with the grits, poached eggs if using, and some of the remaining gravy. Garnish with green onions and parsley.