I have to admit, I didn’t really like grits before this episode.  When Harry at The Brooklyn Kitchen suggested we feature them, I took it on more as a challenge than an ingredient I was genuinely excited about.  And you know what happened?  I have come to love them.  I realized that my only experience I had ever had with grits had been the gross instant variety that tasted more like slop than corn.  But after using Anson Mills grits and getting a lesson with Egg’s George Weld, I learned about what it means to cook with fresh milled stone ground grits.  I came to appreciate them as if I was born and bred in the South.  It’s yet another example of how the purity and quality of the ingredient can make or break a dish.  Check out the episode and follow along with the recipe, posted below, for my Baked Mushroom and Gruyere Grits.

Baked Mushroom and Gruyere Grits

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 TBSP butter
• 2 cups chopped crimini mushrooms
• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup stone ground grits
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• pinch of salt
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4-6 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Butter an 8 inch cast iron pan, or an 8x8 baking dish, set aside. In a separate pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat and saute mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme until soft.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, in a pot combine the grits and the stock, stir, and skim the top.  Add a pinch of salt (but be careful if your stock has salt in it). Over medium-high heat, bring the grits to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened, 10 minutes for fine ground, and 20-30 for coarse ground. When they’re done, add the cream, cheese, and vegetables, and pour the grit mixture into a your buttered dish.  Bake for an hour until bubbling and browned on top.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes, then slice and serve!