We love grits, and serve them frequently. We noticed, as most of you probably have, that once you're outside the South, the reaction to grits is very mixed. Finding grits (other than "instant") is often difficult in many parts of the country. With that in mind, we find the wide acceptance of polenta very amusing. People who would never consider eating grits think polenta (corn meal) is a very interesting and cosmopolitan dish. We agree with Donald Barickman of Magnolia's who, in his cookbook, refers to a grits cake recipe as "Southern polenta" - this can only help with grits' image problem.
Each time we have visitors who have not tried grits, we make every effort to enhance their culinary education by serving a dish that includes grits. Most people (but not everyone) go away with a new appreciation of grits. We are still waiting for a chance to serve grits to a friend in California who once inquired (in front of a large group of people), "So, what is a grit?" And so, for those of you who enjoy grits, we've provided our favorite recipe for grillades (pronounced "gree lads") served over grits. For people who prefer polenta, the recipe below is not only good, but low in fat. Either of these main courses is hearty enough to make a meal with the addition of a salad and one of the two ice cream ideas that are included.
This recipe is adapted from the June 1992 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.
Polenta:
Sauce:
Polenta: Whisk cornmeal and water in small bowl to blend. Bring broth to boil over high heat. Add cornmeal mixture all at once and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Reduce heat, add corn and simmer until very thick (about 15 minutes). Mix in Parmesan cheese. Spoon into ungreased 9" cake pan, smooth top and chill. This can be made a day ahead.
Sauce: Heat oil, add onion and cook until tender (about 3-5 minutes). Add garlic, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes and saute one minute. Increase heat to medium high and add mushrooms - saute 2 minutes, then add white wine and cook until liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced, about 30 minutes. Can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Polenta should be firm enough to cut into wedges.
To serve:
3 tsp olive oil
3 TBS Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat broiler. Turn polenta out onto cutting board, tapping pan to release if necessary. Cut into wedges and brush with olive oil. Place oil side down on cookie sheet. Brush top side with olive oil and broil until golden - about 3 mins. Bring sauce back to simmer, place polenta on plates and spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan. 6 servings.
If at all possible, use stone-ground grits for this recipe. They require additional cooking time, but the taste and texture are worth it.
Seasoning Ingredients:
Ingredients:
Mix first four ingredients in a small bowl. Place meat between sheets of waxed paper and, using a mallet, flatten each piece slightly. Remove top layer of paper, dip mallet into garlic mixture (or sprinkle a small amount over each piece of meat) and pound the mixture into meat. Turn meat over and repeat on second side (meat should double in size during the pounding process). Rub meat lightly with flour.
Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat in small batches and saute until browned. Do not overcrowd the pan, or meat will steam, rather than brown. Transfer to plate. Add onion, celery, green pepper, tomato paste and water to pot, stirring to combine. Return meat to pot, add any remaining garlic mixture and vinegar and simmer, covered, until tender (about one hour). Season to taste and serve over grits. 6 servings.
Ingredients:
Spoon two tablespoons of chocolate syrup into 4 clear glass dishes. Place a scoop of ice cream in each bowl and top with whipped cream. Drizzle a tablespoon of each liqueur over the ice cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts. 4 servings.
A slightly different variation is to scoop ice cream into balls and place on foil in freezer. When ready to serve, roll ice cream balls in crushed Heath Bars and top with either chocolate syrup or Amaretto.
 |
Back to the Cooking Table of Contents |
This Website is maintained by
