I’m back to making videos, and this time I demonstrate how to cook chicken sauce piquante. Piquante refers to something prickly, and in this case, the “prickly” or sharpness comes from a heavy roux, tomatoes, and a healthy dose of cayenne pepper. Splashes of hot sauce add a bit more flavor, too. I also include suggested wine pairings from Arterra Wines in Loudoun County, Virginia. You also notice my new apron that includes my logo gifted to me by my parents this past Christmas, and hand-embroidered by Chase and Paola at Superior Custom Embroidery.

Rice dressing was always included on holiday menus at my grandmother’s house, and I look forward to enjoying it. Rice dressing is sometimes called “dirty rice” due to the mixture of different simmered meats with white rice. It made the rice look “dirty”. There are as many recipes for this Cajun classic as there are gumbo recipes. It just depends on the chef’s preferences and whatever recipe was handed down from generation to generation. Rice dressing is a rich side dish for roasted chicken or turkey, but I always preferred it with pork roast. The sweetness of pork plays well with the rich, savory spiciness of the dressing. This recipe will take some time since the meats simmer for quite a while, but it is worth the effort. Enjoy

Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1/2 pound chicken gizzards—grind in a food processor

1/2 pound chicken livers—grind smooth in a food processor

1 large onion—chopped

1 green pepper—chopped

2 stalks celery—chopped

2 cloves of garlic—finely chopped

green onions—chopped

Italian parsley—chopped

1 tsp Cajun spice mix

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup oil (I prefer peanut oil)

1/2 cup beef stock

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

Salt

Fresh black pepper

1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper

5-7 generous splashes of hot sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Steps:

1. Cook rice as directed on package. Uncover rice once cooked. Rice should be very dry before mixing with the simmered meats. This will allow the rice to absorb the moisture from the meats.
2. Briefly heat a Dutch oven on low heat. Pour in the oil and gradually heat. Slowly add flour and then mix smooth with the oil to make a roux. The roux should a chocolate color. Keep heat on low as you make the roux and stir constantly.
3. Add the ground beef, pork, and chicken gizzards once roux has browned to the desired color. DO NOT ADD THE CHICKEN LIVERS. Mix the meats and the roux thoroughly. Add about 1/4 cup of beef stock to blend the roux into the meats.
4. Stir the meats continually until they have mixed together. Season with salt and pepper. Cover for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep heat on low.
5. After 30 minutes, add the remaining seasonings. DO NOT ADD THE CHICKEN LIVERS.
6. Partially cover the pot and simmer the meats and seasonings for 1 hour. The meat mixture will brown and thicken as it simmers. Add remaining stock as needed if the mixture dries out too much. Taste the mixture and simmer a bit longer if you notice a “chew” from the gizzards. They should be tender and match the texture of the ground beef and pork.
7. Stir occasionally. Check spices and adjust, especially for salt. Of course, more cayenne pepper and hot sauce may be needed too!
8. Add green onions, parsley, and chicken livers. Mix until the pink color of the livers have disappeared, about 10 minutes.
9. Add rice to the meat mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly so the rice can absorb the moisture from the meat mixture.
10. Remove from heat and keep uncovered. Serve warm.

Wine pairing:

This is a savory, spicy dish and would benefit from a fruity red wine with nice acidity. Cabernet Franc is a grape variety that grows exceptionally well in Virginia. I highly recommend the 2022 Linden Cabernet Franc and the 2023 Glen Manor Cabernet Franc with Cajun rice dressing. This pairing is particularly suitable for serving alongside roasted chicken or pork.

Despite the term, there is nothing grilled about grillades. Grillades are pieces of stewed round steak usually served as a brunch item at New Orleans restaurants. The dish is actually more Creole than Cajun as it includes tomato. However, Cajuns prepare this dish in a similar fashion. They usually do so without tomato. I recall my Mom smothering round steak with onions, bell pepper, celery and clove of garlic. This created a rich gravy and was served with—rice. Rice? Aren’t grillades served with grits? In our house, grits were served with eggs. Stews? Always served with rice. This was dinner at our house—not breakfast or brunch. My version of this savory classic incorporates the best of both worlds—I include a can of diced tomatoes in the stew, but I serve it over rice. It’s perfect on a chilly night too. If you decide to go with grits, be sure to use stone-ground grits and not quick grits. Quick grits will get lost in the thick texture of this dish. Of course, I include a suggested pairing with local wines from Virginia.

Let’s start cooking!

Cook time: 2-2 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

2 pounds of round steak—thin sliced at the supermarket is ideal; otherwise, buy a whole round steak and pound it thin

1/2 cup flour + more for dusting steak strips

1/2 cup cooking oil + 1 tablespoon for searing meat

2 cups of beef stock—keep warm on the stove top

1 can of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 large onion—chopped

2 stalks of celery—chopped

1 small green pepper—chopped

3-4 colorful sweet peppers—chopped

1 large clove of garlic—finely chopped

Italian parsley—chopped

1 whole bay leaf

1/2 tsp Cajun spice mix

1/4 tsp of dried thyme

1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper

1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

hot sauce to taste

salt and cracked pepper to taste

1 cup of rice (I like Basmati rice) or stone-ground grits (follow directions on package)

1. Season round steak with salt and pepper. Slice into 2×2 inch squares and dust with flour
2. Heat large skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil. Working in batches, sear meat on both sides under lightly brown. Place seared pieces of meat on a platter as you remove them from the skillet. When all pieces are seared, keep warm in the oven using the warming feature. (170 degrees)
3. Use a Dutch oven to make the stew. Heat the pot on a large burner and on a low flame until it is just warm.
4. Add 1/2 cup of cooking oil. Be sure to use an oil that has a high heat point like peanut oil.
5. Slowly whisk in the flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk the flour and oil together until smooth. You are now making a roux, the foundation for most Cajun dishes. Keep the flame on low!
6. Continue to stir the roux until it turns a dark brown color. I use a slotted spoon to keep the oil and flour mixed together. This should take about 20 minutes.
7. Add the onions, celery, and peppers to the pot and coat with the browned roux. Saute the vegetables for about 5-7 minutes.
8. Add the finely chopped garlic and saute for another minute or two.
9. Use a ladle to start incorporating the beef stock. Reserve about 1/2 cup of stock to add to the stew as it simmers.
10. Stir the roux and stock together and then bring to a boil on a medium flame. Gently boil until the stock and roux are completely smooth. Stir continually to avoid scorching.
11. Reduce the flame to simmer and add the canned tomatoes, including the juice. (Feel free to add another 1/2 can of tomatoes if you prefer.)
12. Remove the meat from the oven and add to the gravy.
13. Toss in the bay leaf. Add the spices and seasonings except for the parsley.
14. Yay! You are now simmering grillades! Simmer for at least 2 hours. Add the reserved stock as the stew continues to thicken. This will be thick in the end, but it shouldn’t be a gloppy mess.
15. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Add parsley about 30 minutes before serving.
16. Serve grillades over rice or grits. Be sure to bring hot sauce to the table!

While Stew is Simmering:

Cook rice or grits—whichever you prefer. I always have this stew for dinner, so rice for me. Serving for brunch? Go with grits. Don’t like grits? Rice will do, even for brunch.

Suggested Wine Pairing:

Petit Verdot has a dark fruit profile. Its acidity and firm tannins match the smoky and spicy elements of this dish. The wine complements the dish’s dense texture. I can recommend the 2021 Petit Verdot from Paradise Springs Winery. The 2022 Rusticity from Delaplane Cellars should also match up nicely. It’s a blend of Petit Verdot (68%), Cabernet Franc (23%), Merlot (7%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (2%).

Enjoy!

Ok Cajun cooks! It’s gumbo season in Louisiana, and I demonstrate how to cook seafood gumbo in this video. gumbo takes time and patience, but it is worth it!

Youtube embed seems to be having a problem, so click here to watch the video.

The Cajun cooks a New Orleans classic, Chicken Bordelaise.

I demonstrate how to cook shrimp boulettes or shrimp balls in this video. This is an easy recipe and the results are delicious! I served these as a starter with a homemade remoulade sauce. Of course, I paired them with Virginia wines. If you would like to discover Virginia wines but are not from the area, most Virginia wineries can ship to your state. Give them a try!