I spent most of my life up north. I actually didn’t even realize I lived in “The North” until I moved to “The South” where it was pointed out to me quite a bit. There are some things from the south that I don’t really care for, like the fact that they still believe there is “The North” and “The South,” but there are quite a few things I am glad I was introduced to. Chess pie, sweet tea, okra, biscuits and ham.
Grits really weren’t on my list. I am not a fan of oatmeal and I felt that grits fell right into that category. While Tom was in Business School at UNC, I had the opportunity to participate in a cooking class featuring classic southern dishes. One bite of my shrimp and grits and my mind was blown. They were the perfect compliment to the dish and had a wonderfully creamy taste. I was a converted grits lover forever.
We had a hard time finding grits way up here in “The North” and actually had to import them all the way from North Carolina. They have been a Saturday morning staple ever since. The best place to secure grits outside “The South” would be at Whole Foods. Make sure they are stone-ground and not instant grits.
PS. A friend once said, “Grits are like oysters. You have to put a lot of stuff on them to make them taste good.” Season liberally.
Truffled Grits with Poached Eggs Recipe
Ingredients
- grits
- salt and pepper
- butter
- eggs
- water
- a splash of white vinegar
- crumbled bacon
- truffle oil for drizzling
Instructions
- There are no amounts listed for this recipe, because for the most part, it doesn’t matter. You can make as much or as little of each component to fit your needs.
- Prepare your grits according to package directions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in butter according to your tastes.
- Fill a saucepan with water and add a splash of white vinegar. Bring to a boil.
- Turn water down so it is just below a boil (as best you can, this is really easy with gas and close to impossible with electric stoves…you want it at about medium high heat)
- Crack an egg into a small bowl (don’t skip this step-trust me, it will be a disaster). If doing more than one egg, add one egg to the bowl and boiling water at a time. You can cook multiple eggs in the water at a time.
- Drop the egg into the boiling water and use a spoon to keep the egg whites close to the egg yolk. Cook for 4-5 minutes for a runny center.
- Spoon grits into a bowl. Put poached egg on top of grits.
- Drizzle a small amount of truffle oil over grits. A little goes a long way.
- Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.
Leave a Reply