Fried Grit Cake with Tasso Cream Sauce

Makes 8 Servings

6 cups water
1 1/2 cups grits
2 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons water
corn oil

Directions:

Cook grits according to package directions. As soon as they are done, put eggs and cream into a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Slowly whisk several small portions of the grits into the egg and cream mixture to temper the eggs, then pour the resulting warm mixture into the pot containing the grits and stir well until mixed. Pour grits into greased 9" cake pan and place in refrigerator until firm (2-4 hours). Heat oil in heavy pan over medium high heat. Remove grits from refrigerator and run a knife around the edges to loosen. Turn out onto a cutting board and cut into 8 wedges. Fry in oil on all sides until golden brown. Place on paper-towel lined surface to drain. Serve with Tasso Cream Sauce.

Tasso Cream Sauce

Directions:

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Tasso or regular smoked ham, finely diced
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups half & half
Kosher salt to taste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 dashes hot sauce
1 dash Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream

Add the butter and Tasso to a small saucepan and saute until lightly browned. Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the cold half & half and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt then add the lemon juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire. Just before serving whisk in the sour cream and cook until heated through.



We like our grit cakes with the Tasso Cream Sauce, but there are literally hundreds of ways to enjoy this dish for any meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizer, etc. These would be good with ham, eggs and cheese/cheese sauce or with shrimp/fish and Tasso sauce, or even with spinach, chopped tomato and shredded Swiss cheese. Be creative and use it for whatever sounds good to you. We ate ours with fried catfish and broccoli tonight and the Tasso sauce was good on everything.