Cheese Grits and Spinach Soufflé

Grits refers to a ground-corn food of Native American origin, that is common in the Southern United States and mainly eaten at breakfast. Modern grits are commonly made of alkali-treated corn known as hominy. Grits are similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world such as polenta or the thinner farina. “Instant grits” have been processed to speed cooking.

The word “grits” derives from the Old English word “grytt,” meaning coarse meal. This word originally referred to wheat and other porridges now known as groats in parts of the U.K.. Maize, unknown in Europe in the Middle Ages, is a food derived from corn (a New World plant) and “corn” had been used to describe wheat products in many European regions. “Grits” may be either singular or plural; historically, in the American South the word was invariably singular notwithstanding its plural form, much like “spaghetti” or “linguine” which are plural in form, but singular in use. Sometimes, grits are called sofkee or sofkey (from a native American Muskogee word).

Grits have their origins in Native American corn preparation. Traditionally, the hominy for grits was ground by a stone mill. The results are passed through screens, with the finer sifted materials being grit meal, and the coarser being grits. Many communities in the United States used a gristmill until the mid-twentieth century, with families bringing their own corn to be ground, and the miller retaining a portion of the corn as a fee. In South Carolina, state law requires grits and corn meal to be enriched, similar to the requirements for flour, unless the grits are ground from corn from which the miller keeps part of the product for a fee.

Three-quarters of grits sold in the U.S. are sold in the South, throughout an area stretching from Texas to Virginia, sometimes referred to as the “grits belt”. Grits are usually either yellow or white, depending on the color of corn. The most commonly version found in supermarkets is “quick” grits in which the germ and hull have been removed. Whole kernel grits sometimes are called “Speckled.” Grits are prepared by simply boiling the ground kernels into a porridge until enough water is absorbed or vaporized to leave it semi-solid.

Cheese Grits and Spinach Soufflé

Ingredients:

• 1½ teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
• 3 2/3 cups milk (not skim)
• 1 cup stone-ground or old-fashioned grits
• Salt and black pepper
• 1½ cups grated sharp cheddar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 6 ounces baby spinach leaves (7½ cups loosely packed)
• 6 scallions thinly sliced (2/3 cup), 1 tablespoon reserved

Grease a 2-quart souffle dish with 1½ teaspoons butter, dust with 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and set aside.

In a medium non-stick saucepan bring the milk and the 2 tablespoons of butter to a simmer over medium heat.  Add the grits in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly.  Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until grits are thick and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan when you stir, 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in 1¼ cups of the cheddar, the remaining Parmesan, garlic, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper to taste. Set aside to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Taste the grits and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring vigorously to incorporate each before adding the next. Stir in the spinach by handfuls.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are thick and glossy and hold stiff peaks. Add a quarter of the whites to the grits mixture and, using a spatula, stir until just combined. Add remaining whites and rapidly but gently fold them in along with the scallions.

Spoon the batter into the prepared dish, smooth, sprinkle with the remaining cheddar, and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue baking until the souffle is puffed, golden brown, and barely jiggles when you shake the pan, 35 to 40 minutes longer. Sprinkle with reserved scallions and serve at once.

Spinach Salad with Smoked Chicken, Apple, Bacon and Walnuts

Spinach is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia and is an annual plant which grows to a height of up to 12 inches. Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia (modern Iran and neighboring countries).  The earliest available record of the spinach plant was recorded in Chinese, stating it was introduced into China via Nepal (probably in 647 AD).

In AD 827, the Saracens introduced spinach to Sicily. The first written evidence of spinach in the Mediterranean was recorded in three 10th-century works: the medical work by al-Razi (known as Rhazes in the West) and in two agricultural treatises, one by Ibn Wahshiya and the other by Qustus al-Rumi. Spinach became a popular vegetable in the Arab Mediterranean and arrived in Spain by the latter part of the 12th century, where the great Arab agronomist Ibn al-‘Awwam called it the “captain of leafy greens”.

The prickly-seeded form of spinach was known in Germany by no later than the 13th century, though the smooth-seeded form was not described until 1552. (The smooth-seeded form is used in modern commercial production.) Spinach first appeared in England and France in the 14th century, probably via Spain, and it gained quick popularity because it appeared in early spring when other vegetables were scarce and when Lenten dietary restrictions discouraged consumption of other foods. Spinach is mentioned in the first known English cookbook, The Forme of Cury (1390), where it is referred to as spinnedge and/or spynoches. Smooth-seeded spinach was described in 1552. In 1533, Catherine de’ Medici became queen of France and she so fancied spinach, she insisted it be served at every meal. To this day, dishes made with spinach are known as “Florentine”, reflecting Catherine’s birth in Florence.

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source of vitamin A (and especially high in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium,manganese, folate, betaine, iron, vitamin B₂, calcium, potassium, vitamin B₆, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus,zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, opioid peptides called rubiscolins have also been found in spinach.

Spinach Salad with Smoked Chicken, Apple, Bacon and Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 pound sliced bacon
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 2/3 pound smoked and sliced boneless chicken breast
• 1 pound spinach, stems removed, leaves washed (about 9 cups)
• 1 small red onion, chopped fine
• 1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Toast the walnuts until golden brown and let cool.  Cook the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble.  In a glass bowl, whisk the vinegar with the mustard, salt and pepper.  Gradually whisk in the oil.

In a separate bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the dressing with the chicken and let stand for 5 minutes so the chicken absorbs the dressing.  Add the walnuts, bacon, spinach, onion, apple and the remaining dressing.  Toss together.

Serve with warm garlic bread for a delicious, satisfying meal.