MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Basic Grits
Categories: Starch, American, Corby
Yield: 1 Batch

1 qt Water
2 tb Butter
Salt; to taste
1 c Whole-grain grits;
- stone-ground

The Best Grits

Supermarket grits are processed hominy: corn that's been treated in
an alkaline solution so that the hulls and germ float to the
surface. Thus bleached, the corn is dried, enriched (some of the
nutrients lost in the processing are added back in) and ground--too
fine, to my taste. These tasteless, ashen grits are served as a
matter of course in countless restaurants and homes throughout the
South. It's no wonder outsiders don't like them.

When early colonists arrived in the South, the Native Americans
made hominy by soaking their corn in a solution of lye made from
wood ashes. Ashen grits were made to preserve the grain through the
winter and spring, when temperatures often stayed in the 70s and
80s. This processing was of course unnecessary up north.

When I went looking for great grits, I tried more than two dozen
mills before I found one that could consistently provide
coarse-ground, whole-grain grits (see Ingredients and Sources). I
now sell tons of the best grits I've ever eaten. They taste like
freshly ground corn because they are just that; when cooked, they
resemble creamed fresh corn, but are starchier. They can be used
just like pasta or rice. Not only local home cooks and
restaurateurs, but also cooks throughout the country have added
real grits to their menus, so that old southern favorites like
Lowcountry shrimp and grits have reentered the culinary vernacular
as if they had never been missing.

Some people cook their grits for a long, long time. It's true that
the longer they cook, the creamier they become. You can put them in
a slow cooker overnight, and they'll be delicious. But you can
easily cook grits in less than 30 minutes if you're willing to
watch the pot and stir occasionally. Cooked grits can then be
enriched with egg, poured into a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or
greased baking pan, and refrigerated. The chilled grits are then
unmolded, cut into portions, dusted with flour or corn meal, and
pan-fried like polenta.

Grits invite a host of accompaniments. Any sauce or gravy that you
would put on pasta or rice is ideal. If you plan to serve the grits
plain, a little stock made from trimmings from the main course is a
welcome addition if stirred in near the end of the cooking.

Procedure:

Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil in a stockpot.
Gradually add the grits, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook the grits, stirring occasionally so that that they do not
stick or form a skin, until creamy and done to your liking, about
25 minutes. Many people like to cook them much longer; if you do,
you may have to add more water.

When the grits are almost done, you can turn the pan down to its
lowest setting and cover it while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Recipe FROM: From The New Southern Cook by John Martin Taylor, 1995

Posted by Corby Kummer, 1995

Formatted by: Manny Rothstein, Jul 15, 1998

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