7.10.2010

Criquette Returns (With Grits Recipes!)

Dear Criquette,

I cannot believe you have come back, after all this time. I have felt so abandoned and alone. Things were so much better before that upstart Ravelry came along and stole you away from me. And now, here you are, acting as if nothing has happened, as if you haven't ignored me for months on end, and expecting me to forgive you and just be here for you. Well, missy, blogs have feelings too! What's that? You're going to give me a new template and fonts? You'll post some pictures of all I have missing? Well, maybe I'll forgive you this time....

Sincerely,
Your sad and lonely blog

Yes, it's true. I actually have torn myself away from 'rav to post again. I can't promise this will become regular, but I have missed the blogging world while I have been on this latest blogging sabbatical.

To celebrate my return, I want to post a couple of recipes for grits, as requested by Sally (known on Ravelry as warpedntwisted). Sally is one of my new malabrigo-loving buds. I was lucky enough to make it into the mal swap!!! Anyway, it's probably safe to say that most people think they don't like grits. And if they're thinking of those lumpy, glue-like, bland white clumps of sand, they're smart to stay away from them.

But if they tried pimped-out grits, like these recipes, they just might change their minds. Whenever I make one of these dishes for my midwestern family and friends, there are no leftovers, and I have given out the recipes many times, to people who thought they hated grits. So here goes:

This first recipe is just sublime. It is one of the signature dishes from one of my favorite resturants in New Orleans, Zea's Rotisserie. It's actually easy to make, just be careful not to add the grits too quickly to the boiling broth/cream or you will have a giant, nasty mess to clean up and ask me how I know.

Zea's Corn-Roasted Grits

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grilled corn
1 cup yellow grits (not instant)

Directions:

To grill corn, shuck off husk. Lightly butter corncob and grill over charcoal or open fire until slightly blackened. Cool corn and cut kernels from cob with a sharp knife. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add heavy cream and return to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits and then the corn. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.