Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Pattypan Squash Blossoms
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I love summer. And one of the best things about summer is the fresh vegetables the season offers. Squash is my favorite and over the past few years I've found myself counting the days until Pattypan squash blossoms find their way in season. They are more firm and a little less sweet than yellow squash and are often served stuffed.

While I was in California a few weeks ago, I stumbled across the Berkeley Bowl, a local grocery store that puts Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to shame. The "Bowl" (as it is known to the locals) had the most amazing produce section I've ever seen. I discovered vegetables I'd of which I'd never even heard. But none of them mattered when I spotted the squash section. I found the largest squash blossoms I've ever seen - leaving plenty of room for stuffing with grits.

Since I was traveling and not staying in my own kitchen, I ended up making up this recipe on the fly based on what I knew I'd purchased earlier. And this is the result:

Pattypam Squash stuffed with Southwestern Grits
6-8 Pattypan squash
2 cups water
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup yellow stone-ground grits
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 3/4 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded and divided


Preheat oven to 350°F.

Slice tops of squash, setting them aside. Place squash in boiling water for 10 -12 minutes until outer shell is tender. Remove from water and cool.

Bring water, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits and return mixture to boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until grits are thick and all liquid is absorbed, whisking occasionally, about 20 minutes. Whisk in remaining cup of milk and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and simmer until very thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in 1 ½ cup cheese and salsa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Hollow out cooled squash. Fill to top with grits mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place in a large casserole dish and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Back to the Charleston Trip: Magnolia's

While researching potential spots for my trip, I initially added Magnolia’s to my list of must-visit restaurants due to the multiple grits dishes on the menu and because it is owned my the same folks who own Cypress, my favorite restaurant, not only in Charleston, but in all of South Carolina.

Located at the site of the city’s original customs house, Magnolia’s strives to serve traditional “down south” dishes with a contemporary “uptown” presentation – a commitment well kept. Everything from the décor of the restaurant to the service is impeccably upscale and within minutes of stepping foot into the restaurant, I knew I’d made a good decision.

We started with a round of mimosas and mint juleps. The mint julep was by far the best one I’ve had since my friend’s Derby party in Atlanta in 2002. Five years without a good mint julep seems like forever – so I made sure we stayed long enough for me to have two.

While I wanted to order almost everything on the menu, we did a fairly good job of sticking to the task at hand – testing out grits. We passed on the Spicy Shrimp and Sausage over Grits because they were served with Tasso gravy, which I’d already had three times that day. But we ordered the remaining grits dishes including the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer and the Shellfish over Grits entrée.

(sidenote: when we were waiting for our food, a table of five tourists were discussing the menu next to us. One of them asked what grits were. Another responded, “Have you ever eaten Cream of Wheat – you know the stuff they eat up north? Well, grits are like that.” I almost fell out of my chair!)


Fried Green Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

The Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer, served over white cheddar and caramelized onion grits, country ham, and tomato chutney was impressive. The combination of the tangy tomato with subtle sweetness of the grits was one of the best I’ve experienced in my year of food "research.” This would be a perfect brunch dish, served with mimosas and mint julep spritzers (I don’t think ladies drink real mint juleps before 3 PM).


Seafood Grits at Magnolia's
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

The Shellfish over Grits - sautéed shrimp, sea scallops, and lobster over creamy white grits with a lobster butter sauce and fried spinach was also delicious. It was creamy without being too rich and contained a generous amount of lobster and scallops. This is a recipe that I doubt I could recreate on my own as there were some flavors I just couldn't identify.

Magnolia’s Executive chef Don Drake has earned his place on my list of top five best chefs. The meal was amazing and I’d be delighted if the owners let me share a recipe or two with you in my book.

Shrimp and Grits

Grits tee in the Charleston Market
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

As I’ve said before when I first moved to Manhattan, I was hard-pressed to find grits at all on the menus of the city’s restaurants. And finding a spot serving shrimp and grits was nearly impossible. Just as I would inquire to anyone that would listen as to where I could find grits in the city, I’d ask the self-proclaimed “foodies” that I encountered about finding a place serving shrimp and grits. Just as they would scoff at the thought of eating grits with dinner (or on purpose for that matter), the thought of eating grits with shrimp made my new non-southern (read: Yankee) friends act as if I’d suggested they eat dog food.

Shrimp and grits are as southern as Mint Juleps and Scarlett O’Hara. And turning one’s nose up at a southerner’s mention of them is almost as insulting as talking bad about their mama. So, it was only natural that my crusade for turning my new friends into grits evangelists involved serving them a variety of shrimp and grits entrees. Thus far, every naysayer to whom I’ve served them has loved them. And it goes without saying that I, in turn, have loved watching them eat shrimp and grits with a side of crow.

But shrimp and grits has come a long way over the past few years. What was once a quick and hearty breakfast staple for coastal fisherman, is now an en vogue entrée finding it’s way onto menus of restaurants across the country, including Manhattan. I know of least a half dozen restaurants in Manhattan featuring the dish on the menu, yet one has not truly lived until they’ve eaten shrimp and grits from the coastal Carolinas.

I’ve just returned from a week down South, which included a two-day tasting trip to Charleston. Shrimp and Grits is a classic Charleston entrée, so it’s hard to find a restaurant in the city that doesn’t include this dish on the menu. This made determining which places to visit a challenge and I spent weeks leading up to the trip researching locales and menus to put together an eating schedule. There were restaurants where I’d previously dined, and therefore knew they offered a treat for your taste buds, but didn’t make the list, simply because they are already widely publicized and I was looking for something unique. And there were spots that were added last minute or en route somewhere else based on a suggestion from a local. In the end, I sought out to dine at restaurants – some famous, some off the beaten path - that offered two things – shrimp and grits and an experience.

It was a delicious experience, from which I will share the highlights over the course of the next week. I ate in nine restaurants within a 36-hour period and ended up eating almost as many servings of fried green tomatoes as I did shrimp and grits. I tasted new flavors and found unique food combinations I’d never thought possible, all while spending two days in one of my most beloved southern towns.

Carolina Shrimp & Grits

Carolina Shrimp & Grits
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

Here is the recipe for the Carolina Shrimp & Grits appetizer that I served with the menu a few weeks ago. I served this dish in "tasting servings" but the recipe serves four entrees. Also, the picture was taken before I crumbled the bacon on top, but the bacon makes it even better!

Enjoy! It is delicious!

4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow stone-ground grits
1/2 cup butter, plus 2 tablespoons divided
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup diced onion
1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 1/2 teaspoons herbs de provence
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
½ pound bacon, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine water, ¼ cup butter, and salt in 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring constantly.

Meanwhile, beat eggs and half-and-half together. Once grits have thickened, remove them from heat and stir in ¼ cup butter, cheese, and garlic powder. Add the egg mixture and stir well.

Pour mixture into greased 2-quart casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.

15 minutes before grits are finished baking, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon butter in heavy saucepan until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add shrimp, herbs de provence, cajun seasoning and remaining butter. Cook, stirring constantly, until a rue forms.

Divide grits on four plates. Spoon shrimp over grits and top with crumbled bacon.