Cheesy Grits with Springtime Mushrooms

Yes, summer may be near, but with some chilly evenings remaining on the calendar for a few weeks to come you’re going to want a dish that brings you joy. Warm yourself up with a plate of Cheesy Grits brought to life with plenty of shredded cheese and the complex and wonderful umami of sautéed mushrooms. Plus, flowering herbs and chive blossoms complete this beautiful and oh-so-satisfying dish.

What Are the Different Types of Mushrooms in Our Cheesy Grits?

Morel Mushrooms: A honeycomb-like structure builds the outside of morel mushrooms. It’s a little earthy and a little nutty with a firm, meaty texture, making it a great replacement for bacon in regular grits.

Hen of the Woods Mushrooms: Also known as grifola frondosa or maitake, the hen of the woods mushroom follows in the footsteps of the morel mushroom. Other than a slight spice, it’s also a nutty and meaty variety of mushroom.

Brick Cap Mushrooms: This type of mushrooms has an endless list of names but what you need to know about it is that they grow in clusters. Besides their unique clump-shape, they’re often mild, maybe slightly bitter in taste.

Cheesy Grits with Springtime Mushrooms

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• Author: Anna Franklin

Print Recipe

Description

Comforting and warming, this dish will remind you of home.

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Ingredients

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• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 qt chicken stock
• 1 cup coarse cornmeal
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 5 tbsp butter, divided
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups fresh morel mushrooms
• 1 cup hen of the woods mushrooms
• 1 cup brick cap mushrooms
• Flowering thyme
• Chive blossoms

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Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, sauté garlic in one tablespoon of butter until fragrant.
2. Add chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil, then add the cornmeal, stirring away any clumps that may form.
3. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the cornmeal is thick and creamy.
4. Remove from the stovetop and add Wild Rosemary cheese, heavy cream, 3 tbsp of butter and salt to taste. Stir until the cheese and butter is completely melted.
5. In a large sauté pan, sauté all the mushrooms with 1 tbsp of butter and season with salt and pepper. You can add other herbs and spices to this step if you’d like, but let the flavors of the mushrooms be the star of the show!
6. Serve the sautéed mushrooms on top of a bed of cheesy grits and garnish with flowering thyme and chive blossoms.

Recipe and Styling Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce

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