Next up is Baked Cheese Grits
Yield: 4 Decent-size Servings
Post Sunday, 18 November
Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1 cup stone-ground grits
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup, packed, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, about 4 ounces
1 cup, packed, Monterey Jack cheese, about 4 ounces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Assembly
Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or, alternatively, a similar size baking dish.
Pour the milk and 2 Cups water into a medium saucepan, cover, and heat on medium-high until the mixture boils, about 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, add the grits, salt, and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir constantly until grits are the consistency of thick soup, about 8 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, stirring every 2 minutes, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes to let the grits thicken further. Cook 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring constantly to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The grits will be really sticky at this point.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, and the butter. Pour the grits into the prepared skillet and top them with the remaining cheeses. Turn the oven to broil.
Place the skillet directly under the heating element for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese topping is melted and starts to brown, Serve immediately.
Excerpted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2010 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Auuuh! 15 recipes left to go in Explorations. And this recipe makes me sooo happy. Grits are one of my most favorite foods.
We’re having these for dinner on Thursday with some chicken apple sausages and apple sauce! I bet my kids eat without complaint!
I’m excited to make something not sweet this week! I love grits!
I have never made or had grits before. I have had polenta and I am thinking they are maybe alike.
Same here– I initially wasn’t interested in this one, but I decided to try it. Now I’m looking forward to it! :)
They’re similar – grits are coarse ground cornmeal, and I like the white corn version. Polenta is usually, but not always, a finer grind.
Look for stone-ground, if possible. Anson Mills makes a spectacular product, but I can only get them online.
Trader Joe’s also has stone-ground, white grits. That’s what I used! Do NOT use Quaker’s – those are instant. Ick.
I just made these and they are superb! Yum!
Hey – this question is for the BSM admins: can someone please enter my link on Sunday? I’ll be in NYC this weekend and would like my post to be linked along with everyone else’s, but the only ‘computer’ I have will be my iPhone and I’m not sure I can copy the link and post it here from that!
I posted my blog tonight, so it’s out there!
Thank you!
I can take care of it if you can’t.
Thanks, Sheri! I think my boyfriend is taking his laptop with us, so I should be good. I’ll post a message on Facebook via my phone if for some reason I can’t do it!