Cheese Grits

There’s very little simpler than cooking grits. A few ingredients come together into something comforting, good for a cold morning and just as good for Sunday dinner. Make sure you pay attention to the details. Use the best ingredients, season well – pull out that pepper mill – and pay attention. The trick to good grits is cooking out the grittiness. The extra cream and frequent stirring here give it a consistency that’s not too dense and not too liquidy. Don’t leave it alone too long: If you stir it frequently, giving it love, it will love you back.

Ingredients

• 2

  cups half-and-half

• 1

  teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste

• ½

  teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste

• ½

  teaspoon garlic powder

• 1

  cup stone-ground yellow grits

• 1

  cup shredded sharp Cheddar

• 4

  tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water, half-and-half, pepper, garlic powder and salt to a simmer over medium.
2. Slowly add grits while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps.
3. Cook grits over medium-low, checking every 3 or 4 minutes and giving the grits a stir, until they’re smooth, creamy and have little to no bite, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and cheese. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve hot with scrambled eggs, bacon or on its own.