Welcome to BigEasyBites

Hello fellow food fans! This is the first of many posts.

The mission of BigEasyBites.com is to introduce the world to Big and Easy cooking.  I am not a trained chef but am a lover in all things food, wine, cooking.

We live in New Orleans (one of the world's best food cities) so lots of our recipes and cooking demonstrations will focus on local cuisine and events.   We will also feature discussions of the local restaurant scene.

To start off...  I hosted my family yesterday for my mom's birthday brunch and served one of my standards: Grillades (gr-ee-odds) and grits.  For those of you who have never had grillades,  it is a creole style beef gravy, usually served over cheesy grits.   For those who are not fans of grits, it could be served over mashed potatoes or even rice.

This recipe is from ""Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times Picayune of New Orleans""

Grillades and Grits
Serving Size : 10
4 pounds boneless beef or veal round steak -- about 1/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 medium-size yellow onions -- chopped
2 medium-size green bell peppers -- chopped
3 ribs celery -- chopped
3 cups whole canned tomatoes -- crushed with their juice
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Remove any fat from the beef or veal. Cut into 2-inch squares. Combine the salt, cayenne, black pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Have the flour at hand.

Lay several pieces of the meat on a cutting board and sprinkle with the seasoning mix and a little of the flour. With a meat mallet, pound each piece of meat until slightly flattened. Flip the pieces over and repeat the process. Do this with the rest of the meat. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat, several pieces at a time and brown evenly on both sides. As the meat cooks, transfer it to a platter. When all the meat is browned, return it to the pot. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and golden, eight to 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their liquid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the broth, wine, bay leaves, tarragon and basil. Stir to mix and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cook until the meat is very tender, about 1 ½ hours. If the mixture becomes dry, add a little water or more broth. When ready to serve, add the green onions and parsley. Serve with grits