New Orleans-style Grits And Grillades

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• lamb tenderloin (about 1 ½, pounds)
• 1 &frac 12 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 8 slices bacon, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 ripe tomato, chopped, cored, juices reserved
• 8 cups milk
• 2 cups quick-cooking grits
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 cut tenderloin into 12 cutlets, place each between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet until very thin, about 1/8 inch. in a small dish, mix 1 cup of the flour with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. lightly dust each cutlet on both sides, set aside on a plate. heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. add 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté cutlets in batches of 4 at a time. cook for 1 minute on each side. repeat with remaining oil and cutlets. in same skillet, cook bacon. transfer bacon to a paper-lined plate, keeping bacon fat in skillet. reduce heat, whisk in remaining flour. simmer and stir continuously until roux becomes light brown, about 10 minutes. add bell peppers, onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. carefully whisk in remaining salt and pepper, creole spice, cumin, paprika and bay leaves. next, whisk in stock and tomato. bring sauce to a simmer, and cook on low for 10 minutes, skimming off excess fat. strain sauce through a sieve and then return to skillet; warm lamb cutlets in sauce.
• 2 make the grits: scald milk (skin forms on top). whisk in grits and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, whisking again now and then. whisk in butter, cream, salt and pepper. cover and remove from heat. it will stay hot for about 15 or 20 minutes, covered.