Texas Cuisine

One of my Christmas presents this year was a new cookbook:

Jon Bonnell's Fine Texas Cuisine



Jon has a restaurant here in Cowtown as well. He is a devotee of local fare and seeks out the freshest stuff from area farms and ranches and it certainly shows in his fancy cuisine with a Texas twist signature dishes.

Ever had Pico D'escargot, or Oysters Texasfeller?

Jon uses a lot of wild game in his recipes, and I imagine I'll be doing some substituting for the buffalo, quail, and frog legs frequently called for with beef and chicken.

Now even if you're not an avid grits lover, you really gotta try this version (Jon says it's one of his most requested recipes. He really does give out his recipes all the time, so I am not making like Duke and spilling the baked beans secret!):

Green Chile Cheese Grits

1 Roasted poblano pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and Pepper to taste
Bonnell's creole seasoning blend(to follow) to taste - not the whole mixture, in other words!
1/2 cup Homstead Gristmill Stone Ground Grits
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated jack cheese

Saute the chile, onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add cream and stock and bring to a simmer -just before a roiling boil. Do not let liquid boil over. Whisk in seasonings and grits. Stir constantly until grits begin to thicken. About 15 to 20 minutes of cooking. Gently fold in cheeses and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

These are knock your boots off grits! Ain't yo mamma's southern style, for sure.

Bonnell's Creole seasoning:

10 tablespoons iodized salt
4 tablespoons granulated garlic
4 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne
1.5 teaspoons dried thyme
1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
5.75 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon dried basil

Toss all together and store in airtight container.