My favorite section of “Bon Appetit”
I love reading those recipe requests. They’re like love letters, so full of happy memories and longing. Yes, they’re written about pancakes instead of people, but who are we to judge?
What recipe would you ask for?
Jillian Swift, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, asked for the Smoked Gouda-Chipotle Grits recipe from Lopez, a Southwestern restaurant in her city. Grits! I’ve waxed rhapsodic about grits here before. Cheese grits with roasted vegetables. Charleston shrimp and grits. Cheese grits chiles rellenos. So, when I saw that someone had taken their turn before the Almighty Recipe Fairy and requested a recipe for grits, I HAD to try it.
What makes these grits special? Layers of flavor. A base of corn and onions sautéed in butter. Grits cooked in whole milk. Two cups of grated smoked Gouda. Chopped chipotle chiles. A sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro.
A mixture so thick and creamy, you could stand a spoon up in it.
At first taste, these grits are all smoke and spice, but when you bite down and get the sweetness from the corn kernels … you understand Jillian perfectly.
These are grits worthy of a love letter.
So, what recipe do you wish you could track down?
Smoked Gouda and Chipotle Grits
Courtesy of Lopez via “Bon Appetit”
Makes 10 servings
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, unsalted
- 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cups quick-cooking white hominy grits
- 2 cups (packed) coarsely grated rindless smoked Gouda cheese (about 8 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo (or jalapenos)
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Melt butter in large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add corn and onion. Saute until onion is golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add water, milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Gradually add grits, whisking until mixture is smooth and returns to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until grits are thick and tender, whisking often, about 15 minutes.
- Mix in cheese and chipotle chile. Stir until cheese melts. Transfer grits to a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
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Ack! *quick-cooking* grits?!?!?!?!?
This is why I almost never order grits in a restaurant. The recipe sounds good except for that. I love good grits, but they aren't quick-cooking! In fact, the best are stone-ground. Slow cooking gives them time to release their starches and get really creamy (even when cooked in water rather than milk). I like to think of it as a Southerner's risotto.
A Southerner's risotto! Yesssss. I love that.
Since you're familiar with cooking stone-ground grits, you could always make that substitution with this recipe. Start with the corn and onion base, make the grits your way, and then add the cheese and chipotle or jalapeños.
I plan to! I love the idea of the smoked gouda and the smokiness of chipotle. And I love the green sprinkle of cilantro. Food this good should be pretty!
This looks great! I love the idea of the smoked gouda in there!
The recipe for a spatzle with cheese that I had in Vienna. It was transcendant.
Oh my lordy — those look ahhhhmazing! I love grits. I love smoke gouda. I need to make these so soon! I'll second Jennifer's opinion (and your assessment as well) and sub some Anson Mills grits that I have in my freezer just waiting to be used in a recipe like this.
These grits sound amazing. Then again, I've been known to wax rhapsodic about polenta so of course i feel this way. I will definitely be giving these a shot.
Beautiful click dear..Sounds yummy…
the puddle of drool forming in my mouth right now is pretty impressive. what a luscious creation. :)
Ah sookie sookie now!
Really beautifully written. Maybe French Laundry can get a cookbook, but here is where the little guys get to shine… and shine they do… this is such a great recipe… thanks so much for sharing!
Fortunately I did not have to go to such lengths to get my sleuth-worthy recipe: Hominy Grill Chocolate Pudding! They had it on their website for a while, but now you can buy their cookbook. If I could have got my head into that pudding cup, I would have. It was a "Harry Met Sally" moment for sure.
I started to read this entry simply out of curiosity but began to smile when I saw the mention of Cleveland Heights & Lopez. I am from around the area and know the restaurant well, although I have only been there once many years ago. I will have to head there for these grits as they look/sound delish!