Although I was born in California, I grew up in the south- Georgia and South Carolina to be exact. While I was a kid, grits weren't really a part of our everyday life. My mother's "southern-ness" has evolved with time so when I was young she was still a California girl making Tamale Pie and the like (a suburban girl getting her "mexican" on). Anyway, grits grew on me as an adult. A college student working in a bajillion restaurants, eating her way to a southern background. Every time I'm back in the south I order grits wherever I go because its such a comfort food and nobody does it like the south. These were made with instant grits (yes, lazy lady style) and then we modernized them with eclectic toppers. Don't even try to keep your heart attack in check here, grits need lots of salt or they're disappointing, so sodium intake be damed for a day.
Cheddar Grits Avec Ramps & Bacon
- 1/2 lb bacon, cut into about 1 inch pieces
- 1 bunch ramps, trimmed, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 1 cup grits
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsalted sweet butter
Render bacon in a skillet until crisp and golden. Remove from skillet and pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Discard or keep fat as you see fit. Add ramps to skillet. Cook just to take on color. Add about 2 tablespoons water, cover , and let steam until just tender. Return bacon to pan and cook (uncovered) just long enough to crisp. Meanwhile cook grits according to package instructions. We used one cup of grits to 4 cups of water. Stir in cheddar and season with salt and pepper. Divide grits between serving bowls. Add a little pat of butter to each oration and top with ramps and bacon.
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