Sunday, May 31, 2009
Food, Recipes

Grits—a Southern staple

Make Dogwood Restaurant's creamy grits

Philip Shone

By Shane Touhy   

When a chef is asked to write about one of his or her favorite ingredients, the endless possibilities make the decision to pick just one almost impossible. There are so many foods that all chefs get excited about. Some are expensive, and others are not. Some are obscure, as well as easy to get. Some are even controversial or taboo. Whatever it is, chefs are excited to talk about food. It doesn’t seem fair to pick just one thing and call it your favorite. 
   
One of my favorite ingredients to work with is corn. Corn has been one of the most important staples of American cooking since the first days of this country. Corn was given to the first settlers by the Native Americans as a gift as early as 1607. Many of the recipes we use today were contrived from European cooking techniques to make porridges and bread. Grits and cornbread are the two we are most familiar with today. Legend has it that during the Civil War, the leftover cornmeal used for frying fish was rolled up and fed to barking dogs so that they would not give away the Confederacy’s position. From this story, we get the term “hush puppy.”
  
  My favorite way to use corn is in the form of grits. Leading the list of reasons why grits resonate with me is their versatility. They transcend every meal of the day. They can be used breakfast, lunch or dinner, and in so many different variations and combinations. 
   
At my restaurant Dogwood, I have dedicated an entire section of the menu to this humble fare. We call it a “Grits Bar." It is not actually a bar, but a fun way to highlight grits and the multitude of great flavors that can be incorporated--a sort of “Southern tapas.”  I try to use flavors of the season, to accompany the “grits of the day.”  We usually have three different toppings that co-star with the grits. We’ve tried several ideas, with the most popular one being the familiar “shrimp and grits"--fresh Georgia shrimp in a slightly spicy Cajun cream sauce with peppers, onions and Tasso ham. Another favorite with patrons is pimento cheese and fried country ham from Benton’s Hams in Madisonville, Tenn. Right now we are also featuring them with Zinfandel-braised short rib or “Frogmore” stew.  These items change with the season, just like the rest of my menu at Dogwood.
   
I spent almost six years working in Charleston, S.C., after graduating from Johnson and Wales University.  I undoubtedly learned the art of making great grits from my experience there. I always tell people, “If you can’t make good grits in Charleston, they ask you to leave.” Here is my simple recipe for grits. My first rule is to start with the best grits you can buy, which are from Logan Turnpike Mills near Blairsville, Ga. These grits are great as a standalone dish, or with your favorite sauce, meat or seafood. Don’t be shy to give anything a try. You will be surprised how well most things go with grits. Enjoy! SP
Shane Touhy is the executive chef and co-owner of Dogwood Restaurant. 565 Peachtree St. 404-835-1410. www.dogwoodrestaurant.com.

CREAMY STONE-GROUND GRITS

Ingredients:           

• 2 cups yellow stone ground grits
• 5 cups water
• ¼ pound unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Pour the grits into a heavy bottom stockpot. Pour the cold water over the grits, and give them a quick stir with a whisk. Skim the floating hulls out, and discard them.  Place the grits over a medium heat, and cook slowly for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often. When the grits look like they have soaked up all of the water, add the butter, and stir it in. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Lastly, add the heavy cream, and cook an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.