Grit Cakes

Buck and I went out for dinner last Friday at a great seafood restaurant, and we both ordered shrimp and grits.  I'm not a huge fan of grits, but I am a huge fan of grit cakes, which is how the restaurant served them up (in a sauce with Andouille sausage, bell peppers, onions... it's to die for!).  I couldn't wait to try some out for myself.

This is based on a Paula Deen recipe that was surprisingly light.  She put Parmesan cheese in hers, but I substituted Cheddar cheese and a few jalapenos.  The grit cakes are baked (not deep fried!), so the outside gets crispy, but the inside is still warm and soft. 

If you have a certain shape you want them to be (mine were round; the restaurant's were triangular), then find the right cookie cutter.  I just used the rim of a glass, and it made 14 round cakes. 

You have to plan ahead for these: leave enough time for them to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  They also bake in the oven for an hour.  I didn't cook shrimp with it; I just drizzled some queso dip across them and served them alongside baked chicken.  They were such a treat!  You should try them! 

Grit Cakes

4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
1 cup quick cooking grits
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
10 pickled jalapeno slices, diced
1/2 tsp salt
Cooking spray with flour

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan.  Stir in grits, and return to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, or until grits are thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese, jalapenos, and salt. Remove from heat.

Spoon grits into a 9x13-inch baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover, and chill at least 2 hours, or until firm.

Un-mold grits onto a large cutting board. Cut out number of desired shapes using cookie cutter.  Spray a large jellyroll pan with cooking spray. Place grit rounds on pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn grits, and bake 45 minutes more.  Serve warm.

Jalapeno Cheese Grits

This is a great recipe from one of my Southern Living cookbooks.  It isn't spicy at all, so don't be afraid of the jalapenos that it calls for.  I made it to bring to a friend's house, so since I wanted to keep it wam, I baked it in the stoneware pot from my crockpot.  Then, when it had finished baking, I put the pot back in the crockpot and just kept it on warm.  So easy and so good!  We didn't have any leftovers at all.  

The original recipe said to add five eggs (!) at the end, but I didn't see the point of that, so I left them out, and everything was still great.  I also didn't add all the cheese that it calls for (that's four cups of cheese), but as with anything, the more cheese you add, the better it is.  I sprinkled some of the leftover cheese over the top before I baked it, and that made them look even better.  Enjoy!


Jalapeno Cheese Grits

32 oz chicken broth
1 3/4 cups quick cooking grits
1 stick butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350.  Bring broth to a boil in  large saucepan; stir in grits.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Cover and remove from heat.  Melt butter in a large skillet; add chopped onion, bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in grits and cheeses.  Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9"x13" baking dish.  Bake, covered, for 45 minutes or until set; serve immediately.  Yields 8 servings.