Creamy Grits With Tomato Gravy And Greens Recipes

GRITS AND GREENS CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the half-and-half and 6 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once up to a boil, stir in the grits. Bring it back up to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture has slightly thickened (it should resemble cooked oatmeal in thickness), 10 to 15 minutes. Use a whisk to break up any lumps that have formed.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until just turning crispy, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel, patting it to remove any excess fat. Using the same saucepan, add the onions to the leftover bacon drippings and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the collard greens and the remaining 2 cups chicken stock and cook until tender, another 10 minutes. Drain the collards and onions in a colander.
• Once the grits are done, add the Parmesan, butter, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the Monterey jack. Stir until the butter has melted and all the ingredients are well combined. Then add the drained collards mixture and stir.
• Transfer the grits mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the crumbled bacon and the remaining 1/2 cup Monterey jack. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

CREAMY GRITS WITH TOMATO GRAVY AND GREENS

Steps:

• For the grits: Bring the milk and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the grits, stirring with a fork to prevent any lumps from forming. Once the grits have started to thicken, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• For the tomato gravy: Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the grape tomatoes, sugar and garlic and cook until the tomatoes start to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter; let melt. Stir in flour and cook until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the broth, tomato paste, salt and pepper until smooth. Continue cooking until the mixture comes to a boil; it will thicken as it heats. When thick like a gravy, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Serve the warm grits in shallow bowls, topped with tomato gravy and collard greens.
• Prepare the collards for cooking by cutting the large stems from the center of the leaves. Stack the leaves and cut them crosswise into 1-inch strips
• Put 2 inches of water in a saucepan large enough to hold the raw collards (the leaves can be pushed down tightly and will wilt to about one-quarter volume as they cook). Add the ham hock or pork and bring the water to a boil. Add the collards and toss with tongs until the water returns to a boil and the leaves wilt down into the pan. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, or until tender. Stir occasionally, checking to be sure there is enough liquid to prevent scorching. Taste the liquid and add salt if needed. Serve with buttermilk cornbread and hot sauce.