Creole Casserole of Grits & Fried Grits

Grits … Southern Polenta

It always amazes me when foreigners, ya know, any one north of the Mason-Dixon line, turn squeamish at the mere sight of a bowl of grits. What’s the big deal, ya’ll eat polenta don’t you and what exactly is polenta anyway. Isn’t it bits of ground corn? Hey, that’s what we call grits. Now I might get some dissension over this one, but speaking of foreigners, I think southerners introduced corn to the soils in Europe. Polenta, made with ground chestnuts in Italy for centuries suddenly became anew. Corn grew quicker, harvested easier and stored much better than chestnuts and today, Europeans should thank us for their revised polenta, er, grits.

There are three types of grits available: real grits (stone ground into coarse bits) sometimes called hominy grits, the ‘5-minute’ quick grits and at the bottom of the grit chain, instant grits. In my opinion, there are only two options, as the instant packages have no place in my home (maybe in the kitchen at the office). A good rule of thumb is to use a least 4 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of real or quick grits to achieve a creamy consistency and at least 1 good teaspoon of salt for every cup of grits. If you add salt after cooking grits, it will take much more and besides, they will never taste right. Real, unprocessed and stone ground grits are coarser than the quick grits and will take about 30 to 40 minutes to cook. That’s why the ‘5-minute’ grits are called quick, just so ya know. Many folks use water as the liquid but I like to use about half milk or at least 1 cup. It just makes it creamier and then there are some folks who use all milk. If using the grits in a casserole or in a fancier dish, use chicken stock as some of the liquid. Of course, ya gotta add a good dollop of butter at the end of cooking. The bottom of the pan has to be stirred every so often and after cooking, let it rest 10 to 15 minutes or longer, if you can wait that long. This resting period is what makes them so good.

Now, here is the recipe for a casserole, a Creole version I made the other day to serve with my Grillades. And following is another version using grits to go with Grillades or other dishes that we southerners are just as proud of, fried cakes of grits. Enjoy!

Creole Casserole of Grits

grits cake & creamy grits

2 cups water

2 cups milk
1/2 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits (any color)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 eggs beaten

1 cup diced kernel corn

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

In a large pot over medium high heat bring the water and milk to a steady simmer. Do not let it boil over or let the milk scorch on the bottom. Add the salt and slowly, whisk in the grits. Reduce heat to medium and cook stirring the bottom often for 5 minutes or until tender and soft. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, paprika, cayenne and garlic. Taste and add salt if needed. Cover pot and let set for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Whisk in the stock and the beaten eggs. Fold in the corn, onions and cheeses. Pour into a greased 3-quart oblong casserole dish and bake uncovered 25 minutes. Remove from the oven for a creamy casserole or turn off heat, and let set in oven to dry out if desired (cut into squares to make cakes).

Fried Cakes of Grits

You can use plain grits or elements of the recipe above if desired.

For Fried Grits: Cook grits according to package directions. When done, allow to cool a bit and beat in 1 egg. Pour into a greased loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerated until cold, best overnight. Invert and cut into 1-inch thick slices. Press each slice in cornmeal, Panko or a flour-breadcrumb mixture and fry in half-an-inch of hot butter or bacon fat until brown on both sides, about 4 minutes each side.

Note: If using a recipe like the casserole above, reduce the stock liquid and do not cook in the oven. Pour in two loaf pans or in the oblong casserole, which can be sliced in squares or triangles. Proceed with the breading and sautéing as above.