Stone Ground Grits With Poached Eggs And Shaved Summer Truffle Food

CRAWFISH AND GRITS WITH POACHED EGGS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onions and bell peppers and saute until the vegetables are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir until combined.
• Add the crawfish and saute for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir into the crawfish to make a thick mixture. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the bay leaves. Season with Cajun Select Seasoning and hot sauce to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, the flavors have developed and the crawfish are tender to the bite (though still firm), about 10 minutes.
• Serve the crawfish over grits with a poached egg. Garnish with green onions.
• Blend together the granulated garlic, paprika, salt, cayenne, onion powder, black pepper, sugar, basil, celery seed and oregano in a bowl until combined. Store in an airtight jar for up to 6 months.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the chicken stock, grits, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a 3-quart baking dish and stir to combine. Bake, stirring after 30 minutes, until the grits have thickened and absorbed the stock, about 1 hour.
• Remove the grits from the oven and whisk in the heavy cream, butter and goat cheese to finish and loosen the grits. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
• Fill a large high-sided skillet halfway with water. Heat over medium heat to a very light simmer and stir in the vinegar and salt.
• Crack an egg into a ramekin. Use a spoon to stir the water to create a whirlpool then drop the egg right into the center of the skillet. Cook until the whites have set and the yolks are still runny, 4 to 5 minutes, then remove using a slotted spoon, letting the water drain off. Repeat with remaining eggs.

STONE-GROUND GRITS WITH POACHED EGGS AND SHAVED SUMMER TRUFFLE

Steps:

• Fill a 2-quart saucepan with 3 cups milk and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, and slowly stir in grits with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to a bare simmer, and stir the grits twice every minute. (The grits may cake on bottom and sides, so scrape the pan well.) After 10 minutes, taste the grits and add salt as needed. After 20 minutes, the grits should be tender and maybe a little runny (they will continue to congeal as they cool). They will remain warm in the covered pan for another 45 minutes.
• While the grits are cooking, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and reduce heat to low; cook until just before desired crispness. (Residual heat will continue to cook the bacon after it is out of the skillet.) Cooking time varies according to bacon's thickness, but it should be at least 10 minutes.
• Fill a 7-inch stainless-steel or nonstick skillet with water to 12 inch below the rim. Place over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil. Crack the eggs on opposite sides of the pan; some of the white may break off and float to the top. Cook for 4 minutes for a thick but runny yolk, 6 minutes for a firm yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon and let sit on a small plate until water drains off.
• To serve, scoop a generous dollop of grits into a shallow bowl. Place a bacon slice on opposite sides of the grits and top the grits with a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper. Present the plates at the table and, using a truffle shaver adjusted to its thinnest setting, shave the truffle over the eggs.

POACHED EGG OVER GRITS

Steps:

• Fill a high-sided skillet or a wide saucepan with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in vinegar. Break egg into a small shallow bowl or cup. Reduce heat to a high simmer. Lower the bowl with egg just to the edge of the simmering water. Quickly empty egg into the bubbling water. Use a spoon to keep egg white together, if needed. Simmer until yolk is just set, about 4 minutes.
• Remove poached egg with a slotted spoon, and drain it quickly on a paper towel. Place egg over Creamy Calcium Grits. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.