The first thing we were asked, “Had we ever notice that grits taste different and better in a restaurant?” The answer from all 30 students was a resounding yes. The secret is in the grits themselves. Unless us mere mortals want 50 pounds at a time, we can’t get our grubby hands on the good stuff. But have no fear, Charleston Cooks! has found a local alternative in stone ground grits and you, too can get them here .
To substitute something you have on your local shelves make sure the cooking time says 40 minutes to an hour. Anything shorter will just make mush.
I was so enamored with grits, my first question after the class was which cookbook they’d recommend for the most recipes. This neophyte was in the midst of looking at a wall of southern cookbooks and all of them contained recipes for grits. Hands down, I was handed Nathalie Dupree’s Shrimp and Grits Cookbook.
Nathalie’s books are available on
Amazon , or you can ordering them with your stone ground grits at Charleston Cooks! .
I can’t wait to get my galley steaming up with more of her recipes, but here’s the first one we tried aboard Fawkes. Melt in your mouth, delicious. I’m sure the secret is in the heavy cream and cheese.
Grits with Greens and Shrimp
Nathalie Dupree’s Shrimp & Grits Cookbook, pg. 18
Makes 4-6 Servings
2 cups milk
2 cups water
1 cup grits
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
¼ to ½ cup butter
1 to 2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 pound shrimp, peeled
1 pound baby spinach, baby turnip greens, or arugula
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring the milk and water to a simmer in a heavy-bottomed non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add the grits and the garlic and bring just to a boil. Cook until soft and creamy, adding heavy cream as needed to make a loose, but no runny, mixture. Add as much butter and cheese as desired, stirring to make sure the cheese doesn’t stick. Add the shrimp and cook a few minutes more until pink. Fold in the washed and dried greens and remove from the heat. The greens will cook in the hot grits. Serve in a chafing dish for a party or individually for an appetizer or main course.
Variation: Add enough cream to the grits to make them the consistency of a dip. Chop the shrimp and the greens before adding to the hot grits and serve with crisp tortilla chips.
If you want to mix up your holiday favorites with something a bit different, yet up to the challenge of special for the holidays, give this a whirl.
Do you have a favorite recipe for grits? If so, I’d be thrilled if you’d share.
What tasty regional treat do you recommend?
I have never even tried grits! Not so sure I will anytime soon.
Well, I better hop off and get busy with cleaning and prepping for the BIG meal here tomorrow. Have a blessed Thanksgiving. Hugs…
Carol, I hope you Thanksgiving was filled with laughter and family whether grits are on the menu or not.
No grits … LOL. But I feed them Brussel Sprouts! (Then found the corn in the microwave where it was put to heat during cleanup!)
I may be a moron but not only have I never tried grits, I don’t even know what they are but THIS recipe (and photos) sounds ahhhmazing so I guess I am gonna FIND out. OMG…YUMMY!
Happy Thanksgiving Nancy!!! HUGS!!!
Hey Natalie, Grits are ground corn. Stone ground is best. Not something I’d usually have myself, but these folks in the south know something about grits. I hear in the NE if you ask for grits you get something entirely different which usually give grits a bad name. Stick to my hints if you give them a whirl.
I still recall my young son in his high chair, holding out his bowl, a few decades ago: “Mo’ Bits! Mo’ Bits!”
Grits have been a long time favorite in our home, but I’ve never added so much to them, will have to branch out…
Cindy Ann, do branch out and I’m sure you’d enjoy Nathalie Dupree’s cookbook.
I am in the Pacific Northwest, and grits aren’t common around here, although I’d love to try your recipe. (You had me at “heavy cream” and “cheese.”) I guess a regional favorite here is Salmon. It’s common around here to have Salmon in every form (think Bubba’s Shrimp). At the grocery store you can pick up pre-made salmon kabobs ready to throw on the grill. We have smoked salmon dip and smoked salmon chowder, smoked salmon fettucini. Grilled salmon, planked salmon, poached salmon. Salmon cakes, salmon dips, salmon patties, salmon burgers, salmon caesar salads…
Dang, I’m hungry now!
Teresa, Welcome Aboard Fawkes. Now you’ve made me hungry. I could eat salmon everyday. You’ve made me hungry now.
Nancy. You really make me homesick. Can’t get grits here in Thailand and have to settle for the instant that friends mail to me. It’s always my first dish when I return to the States. As I like to say, “Grits are goood!”
I’ve never had them prepared this way but I will be sure to try it!
Now I’m hungry.
Dannie, yeah we all get homesick sometimes, but I’m guessing you’ve added a few Thailand traditions to your table that you’d miss if you came back to the States. I would suggest getting someone to mail you these stone ground grits however, or not. Once you prepare them, you may never be satisfied again with instant. 😉