I have had grits and grillades on the brain lately. They seem to be popping up everywhere that I look. I even had a request for the recipe on the blog! So, it seemed like a good time to do some research! We had some friends in town last weekend, so I thought we'd go to breakfast at Luke, a local restaurant owned by John Besh. This wasn't our first time at Luke. In fact, we went there for brunch on our wedding anniversary a couple months ago and have been fans ever since. I couldn't resist the blackberry-cane syrup pancakes there the first time and have been pleased with everything that we have ordered. Unfortunately, my order for grits and grillades wasn't as pleasing as the other dishes that I have ordered there. The gravy for the grillades was thick and dark like my mom's but terribly salty. They seemed to be trying to cut the saltiness of the sauce by putting fresh herbs on top but that didn't help. I didn't complain. Everyone has off-days. I'm sure that is all it was. Luke's grits are wonderful - creamy and delicious! I'd had shrimp and grits there several weeks before. I love the grits and the bacon is yummy there, too!
Ok, so how did it compare with mom's grits and grillades? Mom's gravy is dark and flavorful. The thin strips of pork are so tender you barely have to cut them with a fork. So, I set out to make grits and grillades following mom's recipe.
The pork browned fine. My grits were looking good. I tasted them to make sure that they weren't too gritty and flavorless. Added butter and salt. Now, for the gravy. Mom says add water and reduce to make pan gravy. What? Water and pork bits will cook down to make the thick gravy that I have grown accustom to every Easter? I have my doubts. I wait 10 minutes like the recipe says. I wait 20 minutes. It looks like pork-flavored water. The husband circles the kitchen, hungrily asking about the ETB (Estimated Time of Breakfast). I have to think quickly. The mom is in France. She won't be home until the evening, so I can't call her. Must make gravy.
I may not have mentioned this before now, but my husband is not from New Orleans or Louisiana. He is from Mississippi and his definition of gravy sometimes differs from mine. His favorite breakfast is buttermilk biscuits with country gravy (white gravy) and Jimmy Dean sage sausage. I had to think quickly. I threw 3 tbsp. of flour in the pan with my pork-water and added 3 tbsp. butter. In no time, I had gravy. Not rich, dark gravy but it would due, for the husband, for now.
Breakfast was on the table. The husband was happy. He said it was delicious and I shouldn't change a thing! What am I going to tell Mom?
I polled my friends on the light versus dark gravy in grillades issue. It is definitely supposed to be dark. I made a desperate call to Mom when she arrived from France. How was the trip? Great. By the way, I need some help with the grits and grillades. No problem. The recipe is how Granny Tregre made it, but Mom has a trick and she'll share it with me. Whew!
To be continued....
Ok, so how did it compare with mom's grits and grillades? Mom's gravy is dark and flavorful. The thin strips of pork are so tender you barely have to cut them with a fork. So, I set out to make grits and grillades following mom's recipe.
The pork browned fine. My grits were looking good. I tasted them to make sure that they weren't too gritty and flavorless. Added butter and salt. Now, for the gravy. Mom says add water and reduce to make pan gravy. What? Water and pork bits will cook down to make the thick gravy that I have grown accustom to every Easter? I have my doubts. I wait 10 minutes like the recipe says. I wait 20 minutes. It looks like pork-flavored water. The husband circles the kitchen, hungrily asking about the ETB (Estimated Time of Breakfast). I have to think quickly. The mom is in France. She won't be home until the evening, so I can't call her. Must make gravy.
I may not have mentioned this before now, but my husband is not from New Orleans or Louisiana. He is from Mississippi and his definition of gravy sometimes differs from mine. His favorite breakfast is buttermilk biscuits with country gravy (white gravy) and Jimmy Dean sage sausage. I had to think quickly. I threw 3 tbsp. of flour in the pan with my pork-water and added 3 tbsp. butter. In no time, I had gravy. Not rich, dark gravy but it would due, for the husband, for now.
Breakfast was on the table. The husband was happy. He said it was delicious and I shouldn't change a thing! What am I going to tell Mom?
I polled my friends on the light versus dark gravy in grillades issue. It is definitely supposed to be dark. I made a desperate call to Mom when she arrived from France. How was the trip? Great. By the way, I need some help with the grits and grillades. No problem. The recipe is how Granny Tregre made it, but Mom has a trick and she'll share it with me. Whew!
To be continued....
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