Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Grits

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Grits
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I had the pleasure of serving dinner for some of my favorite people on Saturday night. My friend, Dennis, has a fantastic apartment and a table that seats 12, which gave me a chance to host my first sit down dinner party since I moved to NYC. Here's what was on the menu:

- Mushroom Shallot Phyllo Baskets (I had no idea how hard it is to work with phyllo)
- Cannolinni and Fennel Salad
- Portabella Mushrooms with Roasted Vegetables
- Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Grits
- Double Chocolate Mint Cookies with Bailey's Ice Cream

As usual, the dessert was my favorite part of the meal, with the grits coming in at a very close second. The dish, originally from the Charleston Grille, is extremely easy to make and a treat for both sweet and savory palettes.

I'd made this recipe before, but made some changes for Saturday's meal that truly turned it from a tasty side item to a hearty main course. Here's the newly revised recipe:

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Grits
Serves 12

6 cups veggie broth
6 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking hominy grits
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup diced drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese


Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13 1/2 x 8 1/2 3 2-inch glass baking dish. Bring broth, butter, salt, and garlic to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits and return mixture to boil, whisking occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until grits are thick and almost all broth is absorbed, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup cream and simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in remaining cream and simmer until very thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in tomatoes and 1 cup goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining goat cheese over top and bake until cheese softens, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

American Roadhouse Breakfast

American Roadhouse Breakfast
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

When I lived in Atlanta I ate here almost every weekend. However, I never ordered their grits because by the time we woke up, got dressed, walked up to the Roadhouse, and waited in the long line of folks ahead of us, I was usually ready for lunch.

When I was down in Atlanta for a visit in June, I ate there for breakfast and, of course, I ordered the grits. I am not even exaggerating when I say that the jalapeno cheese grits were the best I've ever tried (which is saying a lot since I have my own recipe).

While I was there, I talked to the manager about grits, my project, and using their recipe in my book. He was interested in my concept and said to loop back around with him when I was ready to write the restaurant portion of the book. He also told me about a great spot in NYC with fantastic grits called Sarge's. It's about 5 blocks from my house, so I'll have to check it out and let you know. And hopefully you'll be able to get your hands on the American Roadhouse Jalapeno Cheese Grits recipe when my book comes out.

Since that won't be until at least fall of 2008, I'll post my own recipe for you to try!

Jalapeno Cheese Grits

2 cups water
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter
1 cup quick cooking grits
8 ounces Velvetta cheese, cubed (gotta love it)
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 (10 - ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water, milk, and two tablespoons of butter to a boil. Add the salt and garlic. Slowly whisk grits into the pan and return to a boil, whisking constantly.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add remaining butter and stir until completely absorbed. Add Velvetta and Cheddar cheese to grits, stirring until melted.

Remove from heat. Add tomatoes and jalapenos to grits and mix well. Pour grits into a greased casserole dish and bake for 40 minutes.

Serve immediately.

........................................................................

American Roadhouse on Socialight!

Brown Butter Grits

Brown Butter Grits
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I made this the other night for dinner. Try out this easy recipe:

Brown Butter grits
Serves 4

2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white stone-ground grits
freshly ground pepper

Bring water, broth, 1 tablespoon butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually stir in grits and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer grits for 30 minutes, stirring constantly.

Cut remaining butter into pieces and heat in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir the butter or swirl the pan so that the butter doesn't burn. Remove from heat when butter turns light brown and gives off a nutty aroma.

Pour grits into four individual ramekins and spoon brown butter evenly over grits.

Horseradish Grits

Plate of food
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

It has been way too long since I've posted anything. Honestly, I had to take a break because my business is about to launch and I've been too busy to cook. But, check out this recipe. I served it to some friends with a Rosemary Roasted Leg of Lamb and an Asparagus Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette.

(and this Raspberry Torte for dessert)

Horseradish Grits

¾ cup quick grits
1 cup boiling water
1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
¼ teaspoon white pepper
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups milk, scalded and divided
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon horseradish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In top of double boiler, mix boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt, gradually stir in grits. Add two tablespoons butter; boil about 5 minutes, until water is absorbed. Add 1 cup scalded milk. Blend thoroughly, cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. In a bowl, blend egg, sour cream, horseradish, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon white pepper with second cup of cooled scaled milk.. Add grits. Beat 1 minute with electric mixer. Butter a 2 quart casserole dish and fold grits into dish.

Bake 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

................

Let me know what you think...

Grizzley Peak Grits

Writing about making the squash blossoms on my last trip to California reminded me that I'd forgotten to post a recipe I concocted when I was out visiting my business partner in May. He lives in Berkeley up the hill on Grizzley Peak Dr - hence the name. In order to quickly whip up something to serve along side flank steak tacos for an impromptu Cinco de Mayo dinner, I raided his fridge for whatever I could find that could work. And here is the result:

Grizzley Peak Grits
Serves 4

2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
1 cup white stone-ground grits
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
6 ounces Manchego Cheese

Bring water, milk, 3 tablespoons butter, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually stir in grits and bring to boil. Add remaining butter and jalapeno peppers. Reduce heat to low and simmer grits for 30-45 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cheese and continue to simmer until cheese has melted and grits are smooth. Serve immediately.

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.

Grits Brulee

Last week after making the Mediterranean Grits dinner, my friend and I decided to experiment. We threw a grits twist into a creme brulee recipe, making three dishes - regular creme brulee, grits brulee, and grits brulee with a mixed berry preserve. It turned out well - except for the fact that we were cooking at another friend's house and couldn't find any vanilla AND that I was terrified of the cooking torch I bought to caramelize the tops of the desserts. Thanks to my friend, Erin, for manning the torch and to both Chris Watt and Erin for being fun and honest tasters.






Testing Desserts with Grits! from Weezie McS on Vimeo

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.

Baked Cheese Grits

Low Country Boil
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

I spent the weekend with friends off the gulf coast in florida. While shrimp and grits is my usual go-to meal for beach vacations, I decided to change it up. So I served low country boil with baked cheese grits instead. Delicious!

Baked Cheese Grits
Makes 8 servings
6 cups water
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups yellow stone ground grits
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring water, 2 tablespoons butter, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly until they return to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently for 20 minutes. Add 1 cup milk and continue to boil for 20 minutes.

Add butter, remaining 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, pepper, and cheese, stirring until butter and cheese are melted. Lightly beat eggs and milk, then stir into grits until combined.

Pour into an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned.

Caprese Grits

Before
Originally uploaded by weezienyc.

A few weeks ago, I had some girlfriends over for dinner. In an effort not to let some fresh foods from the fridge - basil, Fresh mozzarella, and vine-ripe tomatoes - go to waste, I used them to create a new recipe which I'm calling Caprese Grits.

I was extremely pleased with how they turned out on the first attempt and served them with a London Broil and a Baby Arugula Salad.

Give this recipe a try and let me know your thoughts:

Caprese Grits
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 cup white stone ground grits
2/3 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1 egg, beaten
½ pound Fresh Mozzarella, sliced to ¼ inch thickness
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter four 10 oz. ramekins.

Bring broth, butter, and garlic to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits and return mixture to boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until grits are thick and almost all broth is absorbed, whisking frequently, about 30 minutes.

Whisk in cream and simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup cream and simmer until very thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes longer. Stir egg, shredded mozzarella, and basil until well-blended. Pour into prepared dishes.

Top each serving of grits with a slice of Fresh Mozzarella. Place individual dishes onto middle rack of oven and bake for 30 minutes. Place chopped tomatoes in a small bowl. Spinkle with salt and mix well, letting juices form while grits bake.

Remove dished from oven and top with tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Gorgonzola Grit Cakes

In a post a few weeks ago, I talked about the steps involved in getting recipes to a point where they pass the test and move onto the tasting round (which determines if they even make it into the book). With the more complicated ones, you sometimes have to try four or five times before reaching to a point where you are ready to show them off to the world…or in my case, my lovely friends who constantly volunteer as tasters.

In addition to being on the tasting team, some of my crew has taken on bigger tasks. Because she likes to help and wants me to finish this book before I’m old and grey, my dear friend, LF, took on the challenge of testing a recipe for Gorgonzola Grit Cakes last weekend.

This recipe was given to me by a co-worker who hadn’t tried it yet, but had it at this quaint little restaurant in Alabama and scoured the Internet to find it. I should’ve walked away at “haven’t tried it yet” because those are always the ones that take multiple tries before getting it right.

So here is a glimpse at the process. This is the recipe as I gave it to LF:

Gorgonzola Grit Cakes
Serves 6
3 cups water
1 cup stone-ground grits
1 teaspoon salt
3 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
Flour for dredging
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Bring water to a boil. Add salt and grits and lower heat. Cook until thick, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in egg and gorgonzola, stirring until cheese is melted and well combined.

Pour grits into 8" cake pan (round is better). Cool in pan and then refrigerate uncovered until completely set, at least an hour after cool.

With a 2-1/2" round cutter, carefully cut grits into 6 rounds and remove from pan. Dredge rounds in flour.

Heat oil in large skillet until hot. Pan-fry grit cakes until golden, about 2 minutes each side. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Make sure that the oil is hot enough before frying or the grits will begin to fall apart before browning.

And here is her feedback:

• Overall, I thought the flavor was great
• It would have been helpful to have a list of items needed (e.g. 8" cakepan, 2 1/2" round cutter) at the outset of the recipe. I had to read through to determine what I needed as I was making the recipe. I had neither, so I had to improvise which worked out fine.
• I would have liked to have known how long the recipe took from start to finish and if it was easy, medium or hard to make.
• It probably took me 1 1/2 hours total for the cook/chill/fry time. I would classify it as an easy recipe.
• It yielded 10 cakes, not the 6 the recipe states.
• My grits did not set after the hour in the fridge. They were hard to work with. Not sure if you can suggest longer fridge time or adding an ingredient to firm them up. They were hard to put in the frypan, flip and pull out.
• I left half of the batch in the fridge and fried them a few days later. They were a bit easier to work with, but still mushy.

So taking her feedback, I took this recipe into Round Two and made the following changes:


Gorgonzola Grit Cakes (Take Two)
• Cooked the grits for 25 minutes versus 15
• Added an extra egg and simmered the grits after adding the eggs and cheese an extra 5 minutes
• Poured the mixture into a square cake pan and sliced it into nine squares after letting it chill overnight
• Used 1/4 cup of olive oil to fry cakes, four minutes on each side

These changes were semi-successful, although I still didn't like the consistency of the final product. But they were tasty and would make a great addition to the Grits at Noon chapter of my book.

So, anyone up for taking a third stab or making some suggestions?

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.