Creamy Kentucky Grits Topped With A Ragout Of Local Shiitakes And Thyme Topped With Kennys Gouda And Frizzled Leeks Recipes

CREAMY CHEESE GRITS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• In a large pot or dutch oven, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the grits. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook let cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the grits are tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the salt, cheese, and butter and stir until melted. Cover and keep warm.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet or braising pan over medium heat. Add half of the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Flip the mushrooms over and brown on the second side, about 5 minutes more. Remove the mushrooms to a large plate. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the now empty pan over medium heat and add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the seared mushrooms and any juices that have accumulated. Add the tomatoes, their juices, and the thyme and bring to a simmer.
• In a small cup, stir together the cornstarch and 1 or 2 tablespoons of cool water to make a slurry. Add this to the pot along with 1/2 cup vegetable stock. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and stir until blended. Stir in the cream, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and more stock if needed to make a spoonable sauce that generously coats the mushrooms. Heat thoroughly, being careful not to let it come to a boil. Taste, adding salt if you like.
• Serve the grits in shallow bowls topped with the mushrooms, sauce, and a sprinkle of chives.

CREAMY GRITS WITH BAHAMIAN ROCK LOBSTER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring seafood stock to a boil. Once boiling, add salt, bay leaves, and lobster meat. Cook lobster only until it is opaque. Do not overcook lobster as it will get tough. Remove lobster with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain, reserving cooking liquid. Remove bay leaves from liquid and discard.;
• Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add garlic and scallions, cooking them until they become tender. Stir in the grits, and toast lightly in the pan, then add the cooking liquid from the lobster and simmer until the grits are cooked, about 20 minutes. (The grits should be fluffy.)
• While the grits are cooking, cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy and golden brown, then remove to paper toweling to drain. Pour off most of the fat from the pan. To the same pan which now has a coating of bacon fat, add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, tomatoes, and parsley. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to integrate flavors, then return bacon pieces to pan and add white wine. Let wine reduce by half while grits are cooking.
• To finish, gently fold lobster, lime juice, and Parmesan into grits. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Transfer lobster grits to serving dish and spoon mushroom wine sauce around. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

KENTUCKY DERBY CREAMY CHEDDAR GRITS SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease a 2 quart souffle dish well and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cheese around the sides and bottom of the dish.
• Cook the grits in the milk with the salt until done. Add the pepper, cayenne, butter, cheese, and egg yolks to the grits. Stir well and let cool.
• Whip the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into the grits mixture. Pour into the prepared souffle dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE GRITS

Steps:

• Bring milk, water, and salt to a simmer over medium heat.
• Slowly add grits while whisking to avoid lumps.
• Cook grits covered over medium-low heat, stirring frequently ( about 15 minutes for regular grits, 5 minutes for quick-cooking grits).
• Remove from heat and stir in butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

WHICH CAME FIRST? CHICKEN AND EGG SAMMIES DELUXE

Steps:

• Season the chicken breast cutlets evenly with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and let rest, tented with foil. Wipe pan and add 2 tablespoons more extra-virgin olive oil. Beat eggs with salt, pepper, milk or half-and-half. Add roasted peppers to skillet and cook 30 seconds then add eggs and scramble to desired doneness with wooden spoon or spatula.
• Preheat broiler. While eggs cook, toast rolls under broiler, 1 minute, then remove from oven.
• To assemble, slice chicken and pile on bun bottoms. Top each sammy with 1/4 of the eggs and a slice of cheese. Place sammies back under broiler 30 seconds to melt cheese. Reserve the tops. When cheese has melted, transfer the sammies to plates and top with a pile of watercress then set bun tops in place.

KENTUCKY GARLIC CHEESE GRITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Beat milk, egg, garlic powder, and hot pepper sauce in a bowl.
• Bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan; cook and stir grits in boiling water until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add butter and about 1/2 of the Cheddar cheese. Stir egg mixture into grits and pour grits into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese over grits.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and grits are set, about 1 hour. Allow grits to cool 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Grits should be cornbread-like.

CREAMY CHEESY GRITS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the broth, milk and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low; cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until grits become thick, stirring frequently. , Stir in the cheeses, white pepper, cayenne and nutmeg if desired. Serve hot.