Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 4 cups water
2 TBS unsalted butter
3 ea. small cloves garlic, minced well, or to taste
˝ cup heavy cream
˝ tsp kosher salt
1 cup uncooked quick grits
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Additional salt and pepper, as needed, to taste
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Directions: |
Directions:Put the water on to boil in a medium saucepan.
Melt the butter in a separate small skillet. Finely mince the garlic and add it to the melted butter, cooking just until tender. Remove and set aside.
Just as the water is about to boil, turn down to medium and stir in the cream.
Add the salt, and then slowly add in the grits, stirring constantly the entire time you are adding them in.
When the grits begin to bubble, turn heat down to a medium low simmer, and continue cooking, stirring often, until mixture is thickened and creamy, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and butter from the skillet and stir in the cheese and heat until cheese is melted and fully incorporated.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with a couple dashes of hot sauce if desired. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: For basic grits, prepare as above, omitting the garlic and cheese. For stone ground grits, prepare as above, except increase cooking time to about 15 to 20 minutes. For creamier grits, slowly stir in the grits to the boiling water/cream mixture, a little at a time - don't dump them in all at once. Then while they are cooking, continue to stir them often the entire time they are cooking, until creamy and thickened. If grits are kept holding and thicken too much, add additional cream and beat to loosen.
For the Slow Cooker: Substitute stone ground grits. Add everything to a 4-quart slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until thick and creamy.
Grit Cakes: Immediately pour leftovers into a loaf pan and refrigerate. Once cooled, slice and cut into strips or wedges, dip in flour and fry. Serve as a side or use for shrimp and grits or grillades and grits.
Tomato Cheese Grits: Roast or skillet sauté in olive oil, 1 large or 4 Roma tomatoes. Pulse in a food processor. Add to water with the cream with a small pinch of sugar.
Andouille Cheese Grits: Sauté 1/2 pound of diced andouille sausage in 1 tablespoon of butter for 3 minutes; drain and set aside. Stir in with the cheese.
Summer Corn Grits: Grill three ears of corn until charred, cut from cob and stir kernels into grits when they are almost finished cooking. May also remove raw kernels from corn and skillet sauté in 1/2 tablespoon of butter or bacon drippings. For a Zea Rotisserie and Grill Louisiana-style grits, omit cheese and use chicken broth in place of water.
City Grits: Prepare grits as above, except substitute smoked Gouda cheese for the cheddar. Garnish bowls with chopped fresh tomato, chopped cooked bacon and sliced green onion.
Variations: Stir in cooked and well drained collard greens, or fresh baby spinach leaves. Try using different cheeses. Some to consider include all Cheddar, Gouda, smoked Gouda or other smoky cheeses, Asiago, Parmesan, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack. Can also combine with an ounce or two of cream cheese cubed to replace part of the shredded cheese. Substitute roasted garlic.
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