Baked Grits with Country Ham, Wild Mushrooms, Fresh Thyme, and Parmesan

Name: Baked Grits with Country Ham, Wild Mushrooms, Fresh Thyme, and Parmesan
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 bay leaf; 0 teaspoons black pepper; 2 Tbsps butter; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 28 grams country ham, cut into julienne strips; 1 dried chile pepper, crushed; 118 milliliters dry white wine; 1 large egg; 118 milliliters fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; 28 grams 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 2 Tbsps grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 118 milliliters finely chopped shallots; 1 Tbsp minced shallots; 59 milliliters sherry vinegar; 591 milliliters (1/2-inch) sliced shiitake mushroom caps; 296 milliliters stone-ground yellow grits; 3 thyme sprigs; 1 teaspoon water; 1 liters water; 1 Tbsp whipping cream; 0 teaspoons white pepper

Baked Grits with Country Ham, Wild Mushrooms, Fresh Thyme, and Parmesan is This recipe is typical of Southern cuisine. If you have shallots, pepper, lemon juice, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 45 minutes.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 32

Equipment you will use

Oven

To prepare grits, bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; gradually stir in grits. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly.

Ingredients you will need

Grits

Water

Salt

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup cheese and white pepper. Stir in egg.

Ingredients you will need

White Pepper

Cheese

Egg

Spoon 1/2 cup grits mixture into each of 8 (4-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Spray

Custard

Grits

Equipment you will use

Ramekin

Place ramekins in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

Ramekin

Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Remove ramekins from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.

Equipment you will use

Wire Rack

Ramekin

Frying Pan

To prepare sauce, bring shallots, wine, 1/4 cup broth, vinegar, bay leaf, and chile to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced to 1 tablespoon liquid (about 6 minutes). Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Return liquid to pan.

Ingredients you will need

Bay Leaves

Shallot

Vinegar

Broth

Chili Pepper

Sauce

Wine

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Sieve

Bowl

Frying Pan

Combine 1/4 cup broth and cornstarch.

Ingredients you will need

Corn Starch

Broth

Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; add butter and cream, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir in 2 tablespoons cheese, juice, and black pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Black Pepper

Corn Starch

Butter

Cheese

Cream

Juice

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Frying Pan

Cook the ham in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat 1 minute.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Spray

Ham

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add mushrooms, 1 tablespoon shallots, 1 teaspoon water, and 3 thyme sprigs; saut 3 minutes or just until mushrooms are tender.

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Thyme

Mushrooms

Shallot

Water

Loosen edges of grits with a knife or rubber spatula.

Ingredients you will need

Grits

Equipment you will use

Spatula

Knife

Place a plate, upside down, on top of each ramekin; invert onto plates. Spoon 1 tablespoon sauce onto each plate; sprinkle ham mixture evenly among plates.

Ingredients you will need

Sauce

Ham

Equipment you will use

Ramekin

Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Thyme

Equipment

Recommended wine: Riesling, Sparkling Wine, Zinfandel

Riesling, Sparkling Wine, and Zinfandel are my top picks for Southern. In general, there are a few rules that will help you pair wine with southern food. Food-friendly riesling or sparkling white wine will work with many fried foods, while zinfandel is great with barbecued fare. The Schloss Vollrads Riesling Spatlese with a 4 out of 5 star rating seems like a good match. It costs about 29 dollars per bottle.