Beef Stew With Cheesy Fried Grits

Place the meat in a dish and season with 2 teaspoons of the Essence. Combine the flour with the remaining teaspoon of Essence. Dredge the meat in the flour to lightly coat, shaking to remove any excess.  

In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches and cook, stirring until evenly browned. As the meat browns, remove to a plate, adding more oil as needed.

Add the onions, carrots, and turnip, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook until brown, about 2 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the stock and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Add the peas to the stew during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. Add the parsley and stir to combine.  

Arrange the fried grit squares in shallow bowls and ladle the stew over the grits. Garnish with chopped chives and fresh chive stems.