Grits Soufflé

Grits Soufflé (Sort of Soufflé)

More stable than the traditional soufflé, but the husband and I didn’t like it, mainly because neither of us like soufflé’s or soufflé-ish things. Go figure. If you like soufflé’s you may like this. Other folks who ate it liked it. The cats and dogs did, too, but then they'll eat darn near anything.

1 cup corn grits
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Couple good shakes hot sauce, more or less to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese or grated American cheese or Monterrey Jack
6 eggs
2 tablespoons butter (if you prefer chemicals, go ahead and use margarine)

Note: Corn grits are dry mealish things, not canned hominy grits. Same basic ingredient - corn - but totally different critter.

Bring water to a boil. Add salt, butter, stir in grits. Turn down to low and cook till thick, about 20 minutes. (I don’t care if it says 5 minute quick cooking grits, cook those things.) Stir frequently. Beware spitting, bubbling grits. They are hot enough to burn the heck out of you. Use a long spoon (wooden is good) to stir.

While grits are still hot, add the cheese. Let the grits cool in the refrigerator then beat the eggs, shake in some hot sauce and add them to the grits. Pour into a greased baking dish and (I used a round casserole dish) and bake at 350 about 30 minutes, or until fluffy and golden brown. Unlike all soufflé’s, it didn't collapse when served.

Variation: We liked this one.

1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
6 to 8 eggs, beaten and scrambled (cooked)
Recipe as above, but minus raw eggs

Saute onion and pepper together. Add to cooked eggs. Fold cooked eggs and veggies into cooked, cooled grits and cheese. Bake as above.


Variation for Carnivores:
Fry and drain a lot of bacon, crumble, add to either variation of Grits Soufflé.

Fry, drain and crumble sausage, add to either variation of Grits Soufflé.

Reheats OK, freezes well.