Cheesy Grits

I've used a variety of grits recipes over the years, but what follows is my current adaptation developed in the empty spaces of the Canadian Prairies during the more isolated days of the COVID pandemic. I am not a Southerner, so I can't speak to how authentic this recipe is. I do know what I myself like, however, and this fits the bill pretty nicely!

I've included my standard amounts for two hearty servings of the final product, but obviously scale up or down according to your need. I highly doubt sour cream goes on top of too many bowls of grits in the South, but I find it brings a beautiful, tangy creaminess to the final product. The dried shrimp certainly are more Southern (in concept anyways!) and contribute a great deal of lovely flavor to the dish, but can be skipped in a pinch if necessary - or replaced by some sort of sautéed shrimp if available, which would be quite Southern to my understanding.

Whatever you end up doing, I hope this homey staple brings as much contentedness and warmth to your mornings as it does mine!

Cheesy Grits

(2 servings)

Ingredients

2/3 cup of grits*

3 cups of water

2 teaspoons of bouillon powder

2 teaspoons of dried shrimp (optional)

Black pepper (to taste)

Dried parsley (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

1 tablespoon of butter 

2 teaspoons of parmesan

1/2 cup of shredded cheddar

Sour cream (to garnish)

*Where I'm currently living grits aren't really a thing, so I generally use the medium (?) grind ones from the local Asian store. To each their own though! Keep in mind that how much water you need may very depending on what you have on hand, so adjust accordingly.

Directions

1) Since I generally don't have the foresight, space, or patience to soak my grits before getting going on making them I tend to mix the grits with the water in a medium pot, then place that over medium heat to bring them to a boil. While the pot's warming up I also stir in the bouillon powder, shrimp (if available), pepper, dried parsley, and salt (sparingly - more can always be added later).

2) Once the pot begins boil reduce the heat and simmer the grits for 25 minutes (or whatever time recommended for the kind of grits available to you), stirring regularly to avoid any issues with clumping or burning. I also add boiling water as needed if too much evaporates during this stage.

3) Check the grits for doneness towards the end of the simmering stage and if they're reached your preferred texture remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan, and cheddar until everything's melted and gone a little goey from the cheeses. 

4) Serve as is or - my preference - with a generous dollop of sour cream, and enjoy!