Here's the Whole Grits Article

Afraid I'll forget something important.... Here's the whole enchilada...


True Grit: Southern staple winning over new generation of fans


By Addie Broyles

AMERICAN-STATESMAN FOOD WRITER

Updated: 4:53 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Published: 1:27 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, 2010

To give you an idea of how passionately grits lovers feel about grits, just ask them about Cream of Wheat.



"My mother tried to sneak Cream of Wheat (instead of grits) one morning at breakfast, and we weren't having it," says Socar Chatmon-Thomas, one of about 10 women at Hoover's Home Cooking in North Austin last weekend who were riled up at the mention of That Other Breakfast Mush, which is made from wheat instead of corn.



The women, part of a local group of grits fans called Girls Raised in the South, could have debated among themselves all day about the perfect way to eat one of the South's greatest dishes, but one thing was clear, if it's not white hominy grits, preferably like the salt-and-butter soupy kind served with eggs and sausage at Hoover's, it ain't grits.



Grits have been a staple of Southern food as long as there has been a South, but nearly every culture whose diet include corn eats some kind of cornmeal porridge, which brings us to the polemic p-word.



"Polenta is just a prettier, more sophisticated representation of cornmeal mush," says Tipton-Martin, the Austin-based journalist and former president of the Southern Foodways Alliance. From a culinary standpoint, the Italian, yellow cornmeal-based polenta and the hominy-based white Southern grits are almost identical, but culturally, they are as distinct as the languages of the cooks who prepare them. The lye in which the corn is soaked to make hominy removes some of the distinct corn color, flavor and texture found in creamy polenta, which is often allowed to set so it can be sliced.



But in recent years, the line between polenta and grits has started to blur. At restaurants across the country, chefs got bored with potatoes, pasta and rice to accompany meat or vegetables, so Tipton-Martin says they started experimenting with cornmeal grits. (No word if grits or polenta is on the menu for the cast of the Coen brothers' remake of "True Grit," the John Wayne classic that the filmmakers are shooting in Granger.) In grocery stores, several commercial brands of yellow cornmeal have both "polenta" and "grits" printed on the packaging.



So why the sudden celebrity for what has long been considered poor people food? "Our palates are accustomed to chewy foods … and cheese allowed it to migrate out of breakfast," says Tipton-Martin. Only a handful of places in Austin serve the kind of soupy white breakfast grits that many of the women at the GRITS meeting insist upon, but once breakfast starts to slide into the afternoon, cheese both sharp (Cheddar) and subtle (goat) transforms grits into a thick, savory brunch side dish at restaurants including Moonshine Patio and Grill and East Side Cafe.



At breakfast, lunch and dinner, shrimp is the Barney to grits' Andy, but at places like The Woodland, Blue Star Cafeteria and Bess Bistro, you'll find pork chops, braised ribs or steak with grits as well.



At East Side Show Room, chef Sonya Cote uses coconut milk and yellow cornmeal to make curried grits (see recipe on this page) served with sautéed greens. "I like the color (of yellow cornmeal), and I think there's way more flavor," she says.



"I'm trying to open my mind to eating grits at dinner," says GRITS organizer Sandy Battise, a Savannah-born Austinite who prefers a small pat of butter on white grits cooked in water over the strong-flavored, thick grits made with milk that chefs across the country are incorporating into fine dining menus.



"I'm surprised the restaurant culture didn't catch on sooner," says Margaret Shaw, who grew up eating grits for breakfast in Southern Virginia. "Any meal is better with bacon or grits."



Sarah Simmons, a North Carolina native who is working on a book about grits that will be published next year, says grits are a blank canvas because, no matter what you call it or which kind you use, cornmeal granules absorb liquid, fat and flavors better than almost any other grain.



"Grits aren't difficult to make, once you get down the ratio," says Simmons, whose favorite grits in Austin are the Green Chili Cheese Grits from chef Larry McGuire at Lamberts Downtown Barbecue.



Want a surly grit to stand up to the braised short ribs your serving? Flavor them with butter and horseradish. Make a fluffy pillow for grilled shrimp by cooking the grits with garlic and cream. Out of couscous? Slightly undercook the cornmeal in stock instead of milk and your guests might not even tell the difference. One of Simmons' favorites ways of preparing grits is baking them with cream, cheese and any other vegetables or ingredients she has on hand. (See recipe for tomato and goat cheese bake.)



Simmons says she started experimenting with both simple and sophisticated flavor combinations during her first winter after moving from North Carolina to New York City when she was craving what she considers the ultimate comfort food. Her friends turned their noses up at the idea of eating cornmeal mush, so "I started throwing dinner parties specifically to change people's minds about grits," says Simmons, who started the blog (gritsandmore.blogspot.com) to share her recipes. "This is why I have friends now."



Simmons uses a 3-to-1 ratio of liquid to grits, often using at least one part milk or broth and stirring frequently to thicken. "When I'm making something to impress someone, I'm not going to use skim milk." (For traditional less creamy and more liquid breakfast grits, use 4 parts water to 1 part grits and don't stir while cooking.)



Thick or thin, butter or cream, grits are winning over a new generation of fans, even those who don't associate them with the comfort of mom's home cooking.



"The best part of about ability to smell and taste food is its ability to bring us back to another place and time," Simmons says. "To me, my best friend's mom growing up made the best grits, and I remember waking up in this house full of love. When I take a bite, no matter where I am, I feel that love."



abroyles@statesman.com; 912-2504



Curried Grits with Greens



2 Tbsp. olive or grapeseed oil, divided



1/2 onion, diced



1/2 tsp. salt



1 cup grits (Hominy or yellow cornmeal will work fine, but Cote prefers yellow cornmeal.)



2 cups water



1/2 cup coconut milk



2 tsp. red curry paste



1 tsp. yellow curry powder



1 large bunch Swiss chard, collards, spinach or other greens, chopped



In a sauce pan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-low heat and add onions and salt. Saute onions until caramelized, about 20 minutes. (The longer you cook them, the darker and sweeter they become.)



In the same pan with the onion, pour grits in the pan with onions and water and stir. Add water and cook, with the lid on, for 7-9 minutes. Mix in coconut milk, red curry paste and yellow curry powder. In a large saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat and saute greens for 3-4 minutes (longer for collard greens) until softened. Serve with grits.



- Adapted from a recipe by Sonya Cote, East Side Show Room chef



Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Grits



6 cups vegetable broth



6 Tbsp. butter



2 garlic cloves, minced



1 tsp. salt



11/2 cup quick-cooking hominy grits



1 pint heavy cream, divided



1 cup diced drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes



1 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 13-inch by 9-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 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. Serves 12.



- Sarah Simmons, blogger whose cookbook 'City Grit' is set to come out next year



Braised Short Ribs w/ White Cheddar Garlic Grits



10 beef short ribs, about 8 ounces each



2 Tbsp. olive oil



1 cup onions, diced



2/3 cup celery, diced



2/3 cup carrots, diced



1/2 cup all-purpose flour



51/2 cups beef stock



1/4 cup tomato puree



1 bay leaf



2 cups hominy grits



8 cups chicken stock



2 cups white cheddar, shredded



Salt to taste



Pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pat the ribs dry so the meat will brown evenly. Tie a piece of kitchen twine around each rib to hold it together. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet until very hot. Brown the short ribs well on both sides. Transfer the browned short ribs to a braising pan or baking pan.



In the skillet, add the onion, celery and carrots to the fat and saute until lightly browned. Stir in flour to make a roux, and cook until roux is browned. Stir in the stock and tomato puree and simmer until the sauce thickens. Add the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.



Pour the sauce over the short ribs. Cover and braise in the oven until tender, about 2 hours. Transfer short ribs to a large baking dish or hotel pan for service. Pour the remaining sauce in a glass measuring cup and let sit. Pour off the fat that rises to the top. Taste the sauce and add any salt, pepper or stock to reach desired taste and consistency.



For grits, heat chicken stock in a saucepan and slowly stir in grits. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring. Simmer grits, stirring every 5-10 minutes until done, adding more stock if needed to control the thickness. Depending on the coarseness of the grits, this should take between 30 and 45 minutes. Add salt to taste and stir in cheese until melted.



- Monique Carter, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin student and member of G.R.I.T.S.



Tips on buying and cooking grits



• Cornmeal comes in three grinds - fine, medium and coarse - and the more coarse the grind, the longer it takes to cook. Cornmeal for polenta is often ground more finely than the cornmeal for grits, so it typically cooks faster. 'Quick' or 'instant' grits cook in just a few minutes, and coarse-ground cornmeal can take more than 30 to reach desired consistency.



• Stone-ground cornmeal is more nutritious than steel-ground, but it spoils faster because it contains parts of the germ and hull. Unless the package says 'stone-ground,' the cornmeal is probably steel-ground and will last almost indefinitely if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Keep stone-ground cornmeal in the refrigerator to extend the shelf life.



• If you specifically want hominy grits, make sure 'hominy cornmeal' is listed in the ingredients. To the chagrin of Southerners, many companies are now marketing yellow cornmeal as 'grits.'



- A.B.



Find this article at:

http://www.austin360.com/food-drink/dining-at-home/true-grit-southern-staple-winning-over-new-generation-668900.html

Try this Soon!

From todays Austin American Statesman's article on grits:
Curried Grits with Greens
2 Tbsp. olive or grapeseed oil, divided
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup grits (Hominy or yellow cornmeal will work fine, but Cote prefers yellow cornmeal.)
2 cups water
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tsp. red curry paste
1 tsp. yellow curry powder
1 large bunch Swiss chard, collards, spinach or other greens, chopped


In a sauce pan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-low heat and add onions and salt. Saute onions until caramelized, about 20 minutes. (The longer you cook them, the darker and sweeter they become.)

In the same pan with the onion, pour grits in the pan with onions and water and stir. Add water and cook, with the lid on, for 7-9 minutes. Mix in coconut milk, red curry paste and yellow curry powder. In a large saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat and saute greens for 3-4 minutes (longer for collard greens) until softened. Serve with grits.

- Adapted from a recipe by Sonya Cote, East Side Show Room chef

Marinated Spiced Shrimp and Mushrooms

St. Patrick's Day

For St. Patrick's Day Becca and I cooked the following recipe from the Cuisinart pressure cooker cookbook.  The marmalade was wonderful, the corned beef perfectly done and the vegetables also cooked well.  The downside of this is that though we started the meal at 6pm we weren't ready to eat until 8:40pm, so get an earlier start when you cook it.

Corned Beef withVegetables

Makes 6 servings

1 3- to 4-pound corned beef brisket with spice pack
1 cup chopped onion
2 ribs celery, including leaves, cut into 2-inch lengths
11/2  cups water
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons molasses
1 pound new red potatoes, about 2 inches in size
6 carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 cabbage (2 pounds), outer leaves  removed, cut into 6 wedges
6 small (2-3 ounces each), onions, peeled with root end left intact

Rinse corned beef. Place trivet/rack in cooking pot of the Cuisinart™ Electric Pressure Cooker. Add chopped onion and celery to pot. Place corned beef on rack and add water. Cover and lock lid in place.
Select High Pressure and set timer for 24 minutes per pound and round up or down to closest 5-minute increment (i.e., if corned beef weighs 3.25 pounds, multiply 3.25 x 24 to get 78 minutes – round up to 80
minutes). While corned beef cooks, combine marmalade, mustard and molasses and strir with a whisk.
When audible beep sounds, time for 20minutes of Natural Pressure Release, the release remaining pressure using Quick Pressure Release. Preheat oven to 375°F.

When float valve drops, turn Pressure Cooker off. Remove corned beef from cooking pot.Trim the fat layer from the corned beef and discard. Place in a roasting pan and top with marmalade mixture. Place in oven to 20 to 25minutes to glaze. Strain cooking liquid, discarding solids and return liquid to cooking pot (it will have turned red – do not worry). Place the potatoes and carrots in the liquid in the cooking pot first, then the cabbage wedges, and top with the onions. Cover and lock lid in place. Select High Pressure and set timer for
3 minutes. When audible beep sounds, use Quick Pressure Release to release pressure. If vegetables are not cooked enough, select Simmer and cook until done to taste preference.

Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, remove the vegetables and arrange in a warmed shallow serving bowl. Slice the corned beef in thin slices across the grain to serve.

The Salt Lick

Becca and I met Wayne Scholz, his family and friends at the Salt Lick in Round Rock today for lunch and at his 60th birthday party. We learned (again?) that they were married exactly one week after we were!

The food: bbq brisket, ribs, sausage, cole slow, potato salad, beans, and white bread. Heavy, tasty, just plain good.

Rose Hill Manor Fredericksburg Texas Restaurant Dinner Menu

On Feb. 17th Sean and Marie had the following for dinner......

Rose Hill Manor Fredericksburg Texas Restaurant Dinner Menu:
Amuse Bouche

Haricot Vert Salad with Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette, Celery Root, and Feta Cheese
Griffigna Pinot Grigio, Argentina

Grilled Shrimp with Apple/Fennel Slaw and a Peach Cider Reduction
Pine Ridge Chenin/Viognier, California

Braised Ribeye, Peas and Asparagus in a Chive Crepe with Marsala Demi
Becker Vineyards Reserve Malbec, Texas

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Passion Fruit Sauce and Citrus/Basil Salsa
Carmel Road Pinot Noir"

We tried the recipe below on Feb. 1st. Very nice!

Found it at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Broiled-Tilapia-Parmesan/Detail.aspx

Reduced the cheese by half.

Skipped butter altogether.

Used no fat mayo.

Had no onion powder.

Broiled first side for ~ 2min., then other side for ~ 1 min., then spread mixture over all the upper surface.

Marie and Becca loved it. Very healthy meal, too.

Servings (Help)

USMetricCalculate

Original Recipe Yield 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 203 | Total Fat: 11.4g | Cholesterol: 59mg

Chicken and Wine

Image via Wikipedia

Tonight we made a simple Coq au vin like recipe...frozen chicken, dried onion flakes, Cavender's seasoning, ~10 oz. cabernet.... all in the crock pot for 10 hrs. on low.

Result: overly soft, but delicious chicken. Yum!

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (6-8 ounce) ahi tuna steaks (3/4 of an inch thick)

• 2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (or 2 teaspoons of wheat-free tamari for gluten-free option)
• 1 Tbsp of grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion (scallion) thinly sliced (a few slices reserved for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon lime juice

METHOD

1 Mix the marinade ingredients together and coat the tuna steaks with the marinade, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

2 Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high to high heat. When the pan is hot, remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and sear them for a minute to a minute and a half on each side ( even a little longer if you want the tuna less rare than pictured.)

3 Remove from pan and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with a few green onion slices.

Can serve plain, with white rice, or over lettuce or thinly sliced cabbage or fennel. Shown served over sliced fennel salad.

From

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001681seared_ahi_tuna.php

Last night we tried the recipe above. Marie and I enjoyed it. Raw fish was too much for Becca! We cooked one 1/2 lb. piece of ahi and split it between the two of us. It was enough protein for a meal and tasted quite good. We agreed that the marinade was overpowering the fish and would tone that down next time.

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops With Pear-Infused Balsamic Reduction

Last night Marie and I fixed pan-seared sea scallops. It didn't turn as well I'd hoped. The scallops were very thick and still quite cold...maybe even a few ice crystals within. I didn't dry then thoroughly. The peanut oil was quite hot (too hot?) the browning didn't go well. I tried to turn them too quickly. The just weren't cooked through.

But having had great success with them at the beach over Christmas vacation, we'll certainly try again. Here is a recipe we'll try with what sounds to be a wonderful sauce. http://www.miamiherald.com/living/food/recipes/story/1292525.html

Curried Chicken Soup

We made this curried chicken soup and we're so pleased that the mild curry presence only provided body without overwhelming the dish. The recipe can be found at http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickensouprecipes/r/bl60414c.htm.