Smothered Two-Cheese Grits

with Caramelized Onions & Garlic Kale

2 Servings

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From the Test Kitchen

In the diner lingo of the American South, “smothered” means covered with sweet, savory onions. Yum! Our recipe uses the classic “smothered” presentation, but we’ve upgraded the ingredients to include kale, Parmesan cheese and toasty pine nuts. It’s the ultimate combination of sweet, salty and flat-out delicious.

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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

625 Cals (est.)

fresh

ingredients

2 cloves Garlic
2 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 bunch Green Kale
1 Lemon
1 Large Yellow Onion
1 cup Yellow Grits
3 Tbsps Vegetable Demi-Glace
2 Tbsps Pine Nuts
¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsps Butter

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and mince the garlic. Grate the cheddar cheese. Cut out and discard the kale stems, then roughly chop the green leaves. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Cut the lemon into quarters and remove the seeds. Peel and thinly slice the onion.

2 Cook the grits:

In a medium pot, heat the vegetable demi-glace, lemon zest and 4 cups of water to boiling on high. Once boiling, whisk in the grits and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring or whisking frequently, 20 to 22 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed and the grits are tender.

3 Toast the pine nuts:

While the grits cook, in a large, dry pan, toast the pine nuts on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned and fragrant. Transfer the toasted nuts to a small bowl and wipe out the pan. Set aside as you continue cooking.

4 Cook the onions:

While the grits continue to cook, in the same pan used to toast the nuts, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and caramelized. (If the onions start to burn, reduce the heat and add 1 tablespoon of water.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer the caramelized onions to a plate. Wipe out the pan.

5 Cook the greens:

In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the garlic and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in the kale and ¼ cup of water and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and softened; season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in the juice of 2 lemon wedges.

6 Finish the grits & plate your dish:

Once the grits have finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese and butter; season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk until smooth. (If your grits are too thick, add a little water to achieve your desired consistency.) To plate your dish, divide the grits between 2 dishes and top each with the caramelized onions and kale. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!