Fresh Corn and Bacon Grits with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes

Today, I’m going to turn all those grit-haters into grit-lovers.  I was born and raised in Pennsylvania and literally never ate a grit until I moved to South Carolina, mostly because grits were never on a menu in my area.  My first few experiences with grits were not good -- in fact, they were terrible.  Then one day, while visiting some great friends in Charlotte, NC, we were eating breakfast at a fabulous place called The Flying Biscuit, and I had a grit-epiphany.  These grits were like creamy, cheesy heaven and completely changed my life.  Now we have grits in my house all the time.

There are a few tricks to good grits:

1. Please, please, PLEASE, do not -- I repeat -- do not use instant grits!  These create those terrible grit experiences I told you about.  Grit water.  Ew.
2. Don’t pile on the butter.  When you order grits at a common breakfast place, they pour on the butter like it’s milk on cereal.  This is not adding much in terms of flavor and most of these breakfast joints are using instant grits.  Double ew.
3. Cheese on you grits?  Yes, please!  But lets not use the bagged cheddar cheese and sprinkle a dusting of it on top of your already cooked grits.  This provides the same flavor as a gallon of butter.  Use a good flavored cheese and melt it into your grits before you serve them.  This creates a creamy texture and delicious flavor.

Today’s recipe in a nice step into Grit Land.  These grits are packed with corn, bacon, cheese and topped with a lovely sauteed tomato salad.  I hope you start enjoying grits like I do!

Fresh Corn and Bacon Grits with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes

adapted from "The Flexitarian Table: Inspired, Flexible Meals for Vegetarians, Meat Lovers, and Everyone in Between" by Peter Berley

Grits:

3 c. water

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 c. stone ground corn grits

1 c. corn kernels

3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/3 c. parmesan cheese, grated

1 scallion, trimmed, green, thinly sliced, white chopped for tomatoes

Tomatoes:

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 pints cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 c. chopped basil

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese for serving

1. Preheat oven to 200.  For grits:  in medium ovenproof saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat.  Add butter and salt and stir in grits and corn and continue to stir until water returns to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thick, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in bacon, cheese and scallion green.  Cover pan and transfer to oven to keep warm.
2. In a large skillet, combine oil, tomatoes, garlic, scallion white and red pepper flakes and cook over high heat, 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in 1/2 c. basil and cook 2 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
3. Divide grits among bowls.  Spoon tomatoes on top and sprinkle with remaining basil.  Serve with additional parmesan cheese if desired.