Grits and Greens and Jean Caffeine (Also Elam McKnight and Fucked Up but They Don’t Rhyme)
My first trip South of the Mason-Dixon Line (if it is indeed in Virginia like J-Fur will let some people convince her) was on a college visit to North Carolina. My dad and I pulled off at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast and I decided to try something new. I closed my eyes, buzzed my finger of the list and picked grits. At that time, as a very active high school boy who wasn’t yet vegetarian, I ate nearly everything. Grits quickly became the exception. They were disgusting. I pushed the half eaten plate away. The waitress returned and asked if anything was wrong. “Yeah, these grit things don’t have any taste. I think the kitchen forgot to add something.” She smiled and said “Honey, that’s just grits.” I flittered my hand and asked her to remove them from my sight. NEVER would I eat them again.
But then, 2700 days later, we had a school breakfast and I did the unthinkable. I put that nasty corn crony back in my mouth. This time I wasn’t appalled. I still am not a super huge fan. Grits it seems are usually dressed up with a ton of butter and cheese, something I don’t want for my first meal of the day. But when I came across a recipe for grits and greens I flashed back to that waitress smiling as she realized I was just some Yankee kid that didn’t know any better and I felt a twinge. It might be “grits” but does it really have to be? I decided to give it a go.
Grits and Greens (adapted from Eating Well)
(printable version)
-4 slices vegan bacon, chopped
-2 tsp. olive oil
-1 small onion, diced
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-2 cups veggie broth
-16 oz collard greens
-1 cup grits (not instant)
-salsa
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place the veggie bacon in a Dutch oven. Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a spoon and set aside.
3. Add oil, onion and garlic to the dutch oven. Cook until they begin to brown. Add half of the broth and bring to a boil. Dump in the collards and stir constantly until they are wilted and reduced in size by a third (about five minutes).
4. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Bring 2 cups of water and remaining veggie broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in the grits and whisk constantly. Cook for five minutes on medium low. The grits should be thick by this point.
6. Add the collard greens and salsa to the grits. Stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the veggie bacon. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand for ten. Take it down to Southern town.
Jean Caffeine was originally a punk rocker girl who drummed in an all female band. They opened for the Clash and were thrown off a date by PIL before imploding in pure punk fashion. She reincarnated as an alternative country show woman in the 90′s before a demanding day job forced her to retire. After a marriage freed up some of her time she decided to do the music thing again, this time as a lo-fi singer-songwriter. Her first album (as Jean Caffeine) was released last year and titled Geckos in the Elevator. Jean is offering her first single, the reflective ode to New York “Jane Rearranged,” for free. If only we could all leave for ten years and come back this strong. Hot damn!
Six years ago I got a twitter message from Elam McKnight asking if I wanted some rock’n'roll. Winter became spring became Summer became Winter again and I finally responded “Sure.” I never turn down free rock’n'roll. Elam, being more on the ball than I am, immediately got his blues influenced Zombie Nation into my hands. The album’s opener “Pojo’s Place” is a stunning piece of Memphis crafted blues. I’m on the tenth listen in the past two days.
The album:
Fucked Up are like the anti-grits. Full bodied, full flavored and requiring a lot of time to make it happen. Their new single is part of a zodiac thing they’ve been on for years. This one is “Year of the Tiger.”
Mary says:
They don’t sound so bad fixed in this way.I am not a fan but perhaps I’ve never had them properly made. I’ll give your recipe a shot. Have a great day. Blessings…Mary