Kiss My Grits!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.

O'Hare Airport was nicely decorated for the holidays,



but unfortunately, I never made it to my final destination.

Before leaving on this ill-fated trip, I received a copy of the Clinton Street Baking Company Cookbook as a Christmas gift.

(The Clinton Street Baking Company is a restaurant located on the Lower East Side of New York, famous for their pancakes and long lines for brunch.)

Many of the recipes in the cookbook sound delicious, especially one in particular...

In 2008, Time Out New York wrote that the Baked Truffled Grits are one of the finest dishes in the city.

And now, here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup dry instant grits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Salt
Ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
8 ounces fresh mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, cremini, or any seasonal wild mushroom mix), stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, picked from stems
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, preferably panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 teaspoon white truffle oil

DIRECTIONS
Bring the milk to a simmer in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat.

Slowly add the grits and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth, approximately 3 - 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack until the cheese melts, and the mixture is smooth and creamy. (If the grits get too thick, stir in a little water to thin them out.)

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into 4 buttered 10-ounce ramekins or a buttered 5-cup casserole.

Set aside.

Preheat a medium-sized saute pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat until smoking hot.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add the shallots, garlic and thyme to the mushrooms and continue to saute for 1 minute.

Season with salt and pepper.

Scatter the mushroom mixture over the grits.

Top with the fontina and breadcrumbs.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes, or until the top is crusty and golden-brown.

Remove from the oven and drizzle with truffle oil.

Enjoy!