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3. Mix in the hominy, season to taste with salt and pepper, then heat about 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with the fresh chives and serve for breakfast or brunch.

GRILLADES AND GRITS

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

To be honest, I can’t remember exactly when or where I first tasted grillades. Louisiana to be sure, but I don’t think New Orleans because I’ve spent more time prowling the countryside than in the Big Easy. I didn’t expect my small-town North Carolina butcher to know what I was cooking the first time I ordered two pounds of top round sliced ½ inch thick. But quick as anything, he said, “You makin’ grillades?” I’ve taken a few liberties with what most folks would consider to be the New Orleans classic. For another layer of flavor, I like to add a little white wine, also a bit of oregano. Note: Top round is exceptionally lean and unless handled with TLC will be tough. In restaurants, grillades are often scaloppine-thin, but I’ve had better luck keeping them tender if they are ½ inch thick. Here’s another good preventive: Once the browned grillades go into the sauce, keep the heat low and keep the pan covered; too much heat will surely toughen them. Tip: If you prefer not to use bacon drippings in this recipe (they do add flavor), use ¼ cup of vegetable oil instead of two tablespoons each of drippings and oil.

¾ cup unsifted all-purpose flour

1¼ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds beef top round, sliced ½ inch thick and each slice cut crosswise into thirds

2 tablespoons bacon drippings (see Tip above)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

12 large scallions (about 2 bunches), trimmed and coarsely chopped (include as many green tops as possible; also reserve 3 tablespoons chopped scallions for a garnish)

1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and moderately coarsely chopped

1 large celery rib, trimmed and finely chopped

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large whole bay leaves, preferably fresh

1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled

½ teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled

¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne), or to taste

2 tablespoons dredging mixture (reserved from above)

1½ tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup beef broth

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their liquid

¼ cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

1 cup grits, cooked by package directions (preferably stone-ground grits)

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped scallions to garnish (reserved from chopped scallions above)

1. Shake the flour, salt, and black pepper in a large plastic zipper bag to combine. Now dredge the beef by shaking a few pieces at a time in the dredging mixture; tap off the excess. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dredging mixture to thicken the sauce.

2. Heat the bacon drippings and oil in a deep, heavy skillet large enough to hold all the grillades in a single layer over high heat for 1 to 1½ minutes or until ripples appear on the skillet bottom. (I use a 14-inch, 2-inch-deep sauté pan.)

3. Brown the grillades in the hot fat in three batches over high heat, allowing about 1 minute per side per batch. As the meat browns, lift to a shallow roasting pan and reserve.

4. Add the onion, scallions, bell pepper, and celery to the skillet; reduce the heat to moderately high; and cook, stirring now and then, for 10 to 12 minutes or until limp and lightly browned. Mix in the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and cayenne and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

5. Sprinkle the reserved dredging mixture evenly into the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Blend in the tomato paste and cook and stir 1 minute more. Add the wine and boil uncovered for about 30 seconds or until slightly reduced. Add the broth and the tomatoes and their liquid and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly thickened.

6. Return the browned beef to the skillet, arranging in one layer, and cover with the sauce. Adjust the heat so the sauce barely bubbles, cover the skillet, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the beef in the sauce, cover the skillet again,