Tuesday, February 24, 2015

True Grit: The Perfect White Corn Grits Recipe

Homemade Sausage 'n' Grits with Fried Eggs
I first learned what grits were years ago watching The Food Network, as Bobby Flay managed to put his ego aside on his show for an episode to allow his lovely wife to take over the screen to make her infamous cheesy grits. At the time I didn't have a clue what grits were, but what I did know is they were creamy, cheesy, comforting, and powerful enough to move Bobby Flay to declare them better than his own. I knew I would love them!

It wasn't until around two years ago that I finally got to taste grits for the very first time. Out for a special birthday meal for my boyfriend Chris' birthday, I took him to the now closed Southern-fusion restaurant Acadia to experience their highly praised Shrimp 'n' Grits. To simply list the flavours and textures going on in that bowl of southern heaven would do the dish no justice. The dish sounds far too simple when explained in the written word to live up to the complex dish that I was presented with. It was one of those perfect dishes that I will surely find myself alluding to for years to come, like some mythical tale, "the Legend of the Perfect Grits." Of course the perfection of the dish had much to do with the details; the little bits of shrimp speckling the creamy mixture, as well as oyster mushrooms, pimento cheese, and (as if it can't get any better) ham hock consommé; but those delicious details would be nothing if it didn't have the perfect base of silky, creamy, perfectly seasoned grits.

Being often thought of as a "poor-man's food," grits aren't always given the respect and attention they deserve. When carelessly prepared, grits can become dry, gluey, and bland, reminiscent of Oliver Twist's gruel, which in turn have given grits a bit of a bad rep. With such a basic preparation and so few ingredients, it's easy to get grits wrong. I can tell you first hand, that most of the grits recipes out there on the Internet will lead you astray, resulting in the mushy grits that one dreads.

Despite the sea of faulty grits recipes out in the world, there is one that I have come across that I have found to be far superior to any other grits recipe on the web. Although the recipe didn't seem to make much sense to me at first, Saveur's recipe for Old Fashioned Creamy Grits is perfection. Though it isn't much different from other grits recipes I have read, its the ratio of milk, to water, to grits that makes this recipe oh so creamy and delectable. More than just the initial milk/water/grits, this recipe ensures the creamiest results by finishing with not only a knob of butter (essential to all successful grits) but also an extra quarter-cup of cream, which gives this dish its silky, heavenly finish.

Whether prepared for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, grits are the perfect base for shrimp, sausage, eggs, and, let's face it, just about any protein or veg that needs a home! Forget about all those other grits recipes you've come across, and don't even bother reading the directions on the package of grits, because Saveur's Old Fashioned Creamy Grits is where it's at!

Find this recipe and more on my Pinterest board Recipes I Love!

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