Guajillo cheddar grits

4 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ teaspoon Cumin seed
¼ teaspoon Coriander seed
1 teaspoon Whole black peppercorns
3 Whole cloves
½ Dried guajillo or New Mexico red chile, stemmed and seeded
2½ cup Water
1 teaspoon Salt
10 tablespoons Quick-cooking grits
¾ cup Shredded Monterey jack cheese
¼ cup Shredded Cheddar cheese
4 Pickled tabasco peppers, minced (up to 6)

Directions

The following recipe is from the book _Jump Up and Kiss Me: Spicy Vegetarian Cooking_ by Jennifer Trainer Thompson (ISBN 0-89815-761-7), page 120, and is reprinted here with the kind permission of Ms. Thompson.

Far from what you'll find at most diners in the South, these grits provide a well-seasoned blast of heat, as well as a musky sweetness from the cloves. The guajillo is a dried Mexican chile (when fresh, it's known as a mirasol chile), approximately 5 inches long, with a thin brittle skin and an earthy, slightly tannic flavor. Other dried chiles, such as the New Mexico red chile, may be substituted.

Preheat a small cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add cumin, coriander, peppercorns, and cloves and heat until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes, shaking pan or stirring seeds to prevent burning. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Flatten the guajillo chile, place in skillet, and toast for a few seconds on each side. Remove from skillet, and grind chile and spices in a spice grinder until coarsely ground.

To make grits, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt and grits. Cover and reduce to low heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses. Stir in half of the spice blend, and reserve the remainder. Stir in the Tabasco peppers, taste, and add the remaining spice mix, if desired. Serve immediately.

Note: To adjust the heat, serve the second half of the spice mix in a small bowl at the table or serve the Tabasco peppers whole as a garnish. (You can also store the remaining spice blend in a dark, dry place in an airtight container.)

Posted to CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V3 #195 From: Bob Batson <bob@...>

Date: Sat, 21 Dec 1996 15:18:35 -0600 (CST)

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