from ONE BIG TABLE – serves 4
A founder of the Sumter SC cooperative farm group and owner the largest organic farm in SC, a farm dating back into the mid-1970’s.
THE GRITS
1 cup grits, white or yellow – NOTE : white grits are bleached
2 or 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of fine salt – he prefers sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
FOR THE CHARD
2 pounds of rainbow or other chard, rinsed and spun dry. Spinach or very young kale works too.
4 tablespoons of olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
4 leaves of the youngest chard or just chard, washed, stemmed, dried, and cut into fine ribbons
1. Put 3 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. When it simmers, add the grits and turn heat to very low. Cook, adding a bit of water by the tablespoon if needed for 45 minutes, or unitl grits are tender
2. Add 1 tablespoon of water, remove from heat, and let sit 5 minutes.
3. Return to heat, beat in butter and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm stirring occasionally.
4. To make the chard: While grits are cookings cut the chard stems into ½ inch slices and cut leaves crosswise into ½ inch ribbons.
5. Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to turn gold. Stir in half the cayenne. Add the chard stems and toss to coat well. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 4 or 5 minutes.
6. When the stems begin to grow tender, raise the heat to high and add the leaves. Season with the salt and the remaining cayenne pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the leaves are tener. Add the vinegar and more salt and cayenne, if desired. Remove from heat.
7. To serve, sppon the grits onto a warmed platter and make a well in the grits. Using tongs remove the greens from the pan, squeezing out as much liquid as possible, and place them in a ring around the grits. Return the skillet to high heat, bring the juices to a boil and stir in the remaining olive oil. Spoon the juice into the center of the well of grits. Serve immediately.