I thought this week I’d share a batch of recipes I’ve been collecting from Atlanta chefs and various chef demos at farmers markets this year. Just extending the “eating local” theme.
Our first “chef” is Annie Peterle. Annie does a wonderful thing – she bakes every week and brings her treats to the Riverview pickup spot on a Grant Park porch. Pick up your box and sample one of Annie’s home baked surprises. This recipe uses the grits you got in last week’s box.
One of the great things about grits is that they’re good freshly cooked, but any leftovers can be used in many different ways. Of course you can just reheat them, but you can add eggs and bake them. Voila – spoonbread! Or take your leftover grits and try them in this recipe. This is the recipe as it appears in “101 Things To Do With Grits” by Harris Cottingham. Annie said it makes a pretty wet batter so she’s been known to add more flour to make the dough kneadable.
Ingredients:
1 envelope yeast 2 cups warm water 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons salt 2 cups cooked grits 4 cups all-purpose flour
Preparation:
In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add shortening, sugar, salt and cooked grits. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff batter. Cover and let rise until doubled in size. Knead with hands and divide into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Let rise until doubled in size. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake about 50 minutes. Makes 6 – 8 servings.
If you haven’t already cooked your grits, the cookbook offers this recipe:
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup grits
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Combine the broth and grits and bring to boil. Cook 3 minutes, then reduce hea t to medium-low, add butter and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream in small amounts, stirring each time and allowing grits to absorb cream before adding more – sort of like making risotto. It should take 45 minutes to an hour to finish the grits. Season to taste.