My Southern roots are showing with this savory recipe for Baked Cheddar Cheese Grits. This easy grits casserole is made with two types of gourmet cheddar cheese, fresh garlic, butter and chicken stock to give amazing flavor to a staple Southern dish. Served along with tender lump crab cakes and roasted red bell peppers.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x11 baking dish with two tablespoons of the butter. Set aside.
In a large sauce pan, whisk together the chicken broth, 1 cup of the milk, and the water. Stir in the remaining butter, minced garlic and sea salt. Heat over medium low to a simmer, stirring frequently.
Once the liquid mixture has come to a simmer, whisk in the grits. Whisk almost constantly until the mixture thickens. For quick grits = about 5 - 7 minutes. For regular grits = about 15 minutes. For old fashioned grits = about 20 minutes. The mixture will be soupy and not very thick.
Remove the grits from heat. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, remaining milk, hot sauce and black pepper together until smooth. Whisk the egg mixture into the grits. Stir in one cup of each type of cheese, reserving some for the top.
Pour the cheese grits into the prepared buttered baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven. For quick grits = 30 minutes. For regular grits = 45 minutes. For old fashioned grits = about 50 minutes or more, test them for doneness.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and return to the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
While the cheese grits recipe is baking, prepare the pepper strips by tossing them in the olive oil. Bake in a separate small baking dish along side the grits until the peppers are tender. Set aside until serving.
Prepare the crab cakes according to package directions. Keep warm until serving.
To serve family style, create a bed of cheese grits on a large platter. Top the grits with the prepared crab cakes. Serve along with the roasted red peppers and sprinkle the chopped green onion over the top. Serve warm!
Notes
Due to variations in crab cake ingredients and size, the nutrional value for this recipe is estimated based on 4 jumbo lump crab cakes prepared traditionally.