From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Ragout Of Mushrooms With Grits This is a spectacular side dish for almost any meat, but it's especially fine with beef. The ragout of mushrooms is much more intensely flavored than the same mushrooms sauteed in butter would be. And now that we can find coarse-ground grits that stand up to cooking, we're getting used to using it as a side dish at dinner. As for the mushrooms, this comes out fine with standard white mushrooms, but it's better to mix in some exotic or even wild species if you can find them. Grits: 2 cups half-and-half 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup grits, preferably Anson Mills stone-ground white grits 2 Tbs. butter Ragout: 1 stick butter 6 Tbs. flour 2 Tbs. chopped onions 3/4 cup half-and-half 1/2 cup warm beef stock or broth, warm 1/2 cup port, Madeira, or Marsala wine 16 oz. assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced into pieces the size of the tip of your little finger 1/4 tsp. marjoram 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp. salt 3 dashes Tabasco chilpotle pepper sauce 1. Make the grits first by bringing the half-and-half and the salt to a light boil. Stir in the grits and lower the heat to the lowest temperature. Cook, stirring now and then, until a furrow you make with a spoon drawn across the top surface remains for a few seconds. Remove from the heat. Let the butter melt on top of the hot grits, and tilt the pan around to coat the top surface with butter (don't stir it in). Keep the grits warm, covered, in an oven at the lowest heat setting. 2. For the ragout, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring as if making a roux, until the mixture is blended completely but not browned. Add the onions and cook for another minute. 3. Lower the heat and whisk in the half and half until the mixture takes on the texture of mashed potatoes. Whisk in the beef stock and the wine until well blended. Add the remaining ingredients and lower the heat to the lowest temperature. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then , until the mixture is very thick. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. 4. Stir the butter into the grits and spoon onto the plate. Surround or top the grits (at your discretion) with the mushroom ragout. Serve with steak, roast beef, roast pork, or lamb leg. Serves six to eight. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2009 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com