I have this crazy weird obsession with New Orleans (also Louis Armstrong); which most likely stems from my obsession with everything French (and my strange taste in music).
This crazy obsession led to about 3 months of craving grits, which coincidentally I had never actually consumed before. I caved finally and decided to make this dish; which is super simple, for a few friends. We had it with the broccolini on toast, it was a very garlicy night.
Despite or perhaps because of the garlic; it was delicious and now I have grits cravings again.
In other news, I’m buying Miette’s cookbook soon, the one I was talking about in my first ever post. It is going to be my last cookbook purchase for a year, because I have a plan. All in good time.
Smokey Chicken
Olive oil
Chicken, I used 2 large breasts and cut into medium strips for three of us
2 cloves of Garlic
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
Butter, a good knife scraping worth; like more than necessary to butter your toast (I used margarine though)
1 lemon
Flat leaf parsley finely chopped
Place chicken in a bowl and drizzle olive oil over, get in there with your hands and grease it up! Chop the garlic finely and place into the bowl then add the paprika and squeeze the lemon over, toss this around with your hands making sure it’s all covered and drizzle more olive oil on it’s it’s looking a bit dry. Cover lightly and refrigerate for at least an hour, aim for 3 hours.
Heat a frying pan up over a medium/high heat (you want the meat to sizzle). After the chicken has been added drop the butter in the hot pan, cook until chicken is done. Add excess oils from the pan to the finished dish and top with parsley.
Grits
250g of medium ground polenta
50g of butter
100g of freshly grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Bring a litre of water to boil in a large pan. Pour in polenta (or check packet instructions for water ratio), then you have to stand over that pan and stir, you can’t go away and check facebook, or pat your dog, or watch Neighbours, or whatever else you do whilst cooking dinner, you have to stand there and stir.
It’s worth it, promise.
When the grits are rad (< this was a typo but I don’t even want to change it now) add the butter and cheese and stir, again. Have a taste and keep seasoning etc, until it tastes awesome. You can take it off the heat and leave the lid on whilst you do the rest.
The Little Cookbook 