One of the many joys of working at a farmers market is getting to know your customers and watching their kids grow up. Long-time market customer Lisa Hughes shared this recipe with us, explaining how her kids love it. It’s become one of our favorites, too. The casserole is perfect for brunch, a special breakfast for out-of-town guests, or even dinner.
Really simple method for cooking up some grits.
This simple casserole is a familiar dish in the South. It is an absolute standard at potlucks, brunches, weddings, and funerals. Casseroles are the salve that heals a Southerner’s wounded soul. I always call this dish “funeral grits” because it’s the perfect dish to take to the bereaved after the funeral. It can be treated as a side dish, held for hours in a low oven with few ill effects, and the leftovers reheat wonderfully. Funeral food in the South is a category all to itself. The food should be comforting, not too fancy, and even in this day and age, is best if homemade (not a platter of sliced deli meats from the grocery store). When my godfather, Uncle Raymond, died many years ago, I remember the women swarming in the kitchen, each and every one of them taking on a specific chore. Even though I was a professional cook by this time, I was designated for phone duty. I didn’t mind; I may have been a professional cook, but I was still the youngest and lowest on the totem pole.
Lord knows, a dish serving less people won’t go far at a Southern funeral. Use this recipe as a guide and make it your own. Add more jalapeño to give it some real heat, or switch up the cheeses and try adding freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gruyère,or white Cheddar.
I’m cooking for a friend who is unable to cook for himself right now. I want to make something a bit more stick-to-your-ribs and so I’m going to make the Grits and Greens (again, recipe below) adapted from the New York Times. Their original recipe called for quick-cooking grits but I have Riverview grits in the freezer, and for collards and Swiss chard. I’ll be using the kale and Swiss chard from this week’s box.
I’ve shared this recipe before but it’s worth repeating. Save it for when next week’s box when there will surely be a bundle of greens of some sort.
Demonstrated by Virginia Willis at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. As she says, feel free to substitute with what’s in season and in your box. And she recommends the two pots specified here to keep the greens crisp..
Grits and shrimp. Shrimp and grits. It’s a Southern classic. But here’s one from Manhattan.
It appeared in the New York Times a dozen years ago with this note: This recipe, adapted from the chefs David Chang and Joaquin Baca of Momofuku Noodle Bar, came to The Times in 2006. Here, the yolk from soft egg bleeds into a bed of grits. A bit of chopped bacon adds smokiness, while the chopped scallion lends brightness. You’ll want to use good quality grits here over cornmeal or polenta, as both Mr. Chang and Mr. Baca suggest. The result is luxurious and creamy, without any cream.
This is an adaptation of a recipe that came from Southern Living and used okra. But it could have some from any community cookbook – a sort of grits souffle with vegetables. You can prepare it ahead and refrigerate. Then bake it for breakfast or use it as a side dish at dinner.
Adapted from a recipe in “Afro-Vega: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed” by Bryant Terry. Use a little bit of one of the Scotch bonnets in place of the jalapeno, if you like.
Sometimes we forget that grits are a great vehicle for lots of flavors. Cheese is a natural – but how about adding chiles? If you have fresh peppers, use those. Or use those delicious canned chopped green chiles as the recipe calls for. It’s from Prevention.
A recipe from Southern Living. Several components, but wouldn’t it be delicious for a really decadent breakfast or an indulgent supper?