A grits and greens recipe that will satisfy my Southern culinary yearnings which have been stronger than usual due to the fact that I'm reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Syd over at Adrenaline's Shadow recommended it. The book is chock full of dish and food descriptions so Grits and Greens should help my taste buds to simmer down.
Actually this is two recipes. The Tangle of Bitter Greens could easily stand alone as a dish. But add these two recipes together and you will get a beautiful thing.
Grits with Corn and Greens Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white or yellow onion, grated
- 1 cup whole corn kernels, either frozen or freshly cut from the cob
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup stone-ground or coarse-ground grits
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces)
- 1 recipe of Tangle of Bitter Greens
Method
1 Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated onion and cook, stirring, until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels become soft, about 5 minutes.
2 Add the milk, water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the grits are creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in the butter, Parmesan, and Greens. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.This is a surprisingly hearty dish with a lot of texture and flavor. I've never grated onions as a prep for a dish and was surprised just how little onion flesh is left after grating. My collards were not too bitter and not cooked to death. A little bite in your greens never hurt any one. This dish would make a great accompaniment to some braised short ribs. Or do like I've been doing for breakfast, slap an egg on top with a side of bacon and you're good to go, Y'all.
8 comments:
Recipe and photos are marvelous, as always. But Shamy, you're reading The Help? You've got to read that book all the way through, especially before coming to any culinary conclusions, say, about pies and cakes. (I don't recall any subversive vegetables.)
The Help is one of the most remarkable and compelling books I've read in I don't know how long. When I hadn't finished it in time for my book club, I didn't attend, because I didn't want anyone to give away the twists and turns I knew were waiting for me as they were written on the page.
Happy reading. Happy gardening. Happy eating.
eggy
Gorgeous green, amazing chiffonade technique, and WOWTHATDISH. I can almost taste it from here. I went back and read the recipes in detail (I never do this, oops) because it looked so fantastic. Boy howdy, I ain't eaten no grits in somethin' lahk twenny-fahv years. Y'all.
You're outdoin' yerself. Shucks, just plum outdoin' yerself.
serious yum. have any extra greens?
Gonna have to try this one in the fall when I got some good greens growin'.
OMG, that looks to die for! Our greens, normally the first things we have, aren't so great this year, due to late start and hot weather. We have an industrial strength garlic spray that literally incinerates bugs off plants and doesn't make things taste like garlic. Maybe that would help your collards. I also have a grits and green chile recipe that melds southern and southwestern really well. I'll have to post it soon!
Thanks for sharing this!
GG
YUM! I would definitely eat that.
That book made me hungry too.
I don't think we can grow greens in the summer. It's a spring/fall crop here. And now I'm craving some.
BTW, the theory that you can wash a bunch of greens in a washing machine is bullshit. http://wp.me/pYhwm-3h
Eggy I am reading The Help and I have reached the Terrible Awful Thing and always enjoy when someone has two slices.
MS, my garden inspires me. It's a yummy dish.
Anony, if I can keep the bugs from eating them, yes.
Dani I think you will like it, it's a great veggie dish.
GG, send that recipe on, I love grits. Dani sent me a recommendation for a spray to help with my collard lovin' bugs.
Syd, I had to hit my asthma inhaler after your story of your little experiment. Perhaps the dishwasher on a cold gentle cycle? When K's not home?
A nice post:-)
Love the pics of the greens as muc as the deliciousness in the plate!
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