Baked Grits au Gratin with Sherry Mushroom Topping
Adapted from a recipe on the menu at Jacques-Imo’s Cafe in New Orleans, delicious cheesy baked grits with a shiitake mushroom topping flavored with sherry wine.
Taking something as common and ordinary as grits and elevating it to an absolutely sublime side dish is the apex of culinary art and I have to give credit to a chef in a restaurant at which I’ve never actually eaten in New Orleans, and that’s saying something. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been to the Big Easy but Jacques-Imo’s is one placed I’ve missed, probably because it’s uptown and I tend to stay in and around the Quarter and the Garden District.
The mushroom topping rally makes this dish although the cheese grits would probably stand up on their own. If you cannot find or do not want Shiitake Mushrooms, then common button mushrooms will work just as well.
While this recipe calls for cheddar and provolone, you can experiment with other cheese combinations. Swiss, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese could easily be substituted for the Provolone.
This will make a perfect accompaniment to a roast, steak, chop or baked chicken of any sort, and would be good as a substitute for potatoes at almost any meal.
Baked Grits au Gratin with Sherry Mushroom Topping
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken stock (like, Swanson's or Kitchen Basics)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup quick-cooking grits (like, Quaker Quick 5 Minute Grits)
- 1-1/2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup provolone cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup milk (whole, or 2%)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 3-oz packages dried shiitake mushrooms (or 8-oz fresh)
- 1 4-oz can button mushrooms (like, Green Giant), drained
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dry sherry wine
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp powered mustard (like, Coleman's)
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 8-9 grinds freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Using chicken stock instead of water, prepare grits according to the directions on the package.
- Once the grits have finished cooking, transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the butter and cheeses, allowing both to melt into the grits.
- Add the cream and milk and stir well into the mixture.
- With your beaten eggs in a small bowl, add a tablespoon of the grits to the eggs and stir well. This will temper the eggs so they won't start cooking when you add them to the hot grits. After a quick stir for a few seconds, mix well into the mixture and then fold it all out into the baking dish.
- Level the mixture in the baking dish then place the baking dish in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour until the top is golden browned and firm to the touch.
- Allow the grits to cool for 10 minutes, then cut out square portions and top with 1-2 tablespoons of the mushroom topping.
- If you are using dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstitute with boiling water for 30 minutes or according to directions on the package. Once done, discard the liquid, drain well and finely chop. If you're using fresh shiitake mushroom, discard the stems and finely chop the mushroom caps.
- In a skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and add the olive oil until heated, then sauté the green onions until limp, but not browned, about 3 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are limp, about 8 minutes.
- Add the sherry, cream and dried mustard, and simmer the mixture while stirring constantly until the liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes.
- Add the parsley, black pepper and test for salt. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Notes
- Don't mistake instant grits for quick-cooking grits. Quick cooking grits have been parboiled and require 5 minutes to finish. There is no appreciable difference between quick-cooking grits and regular grits except the latter takes 15 minutes longer to cook.
