Whether you’re hosting a houseful of family and friends or it’s just you and a special someone, Christmas morning is better when there’s something warm and delicious to start the day. This recipe is one of my favorites, and you can even make it ahead and then put it in the oven Christmas morning. In that case, it may take a little longer to cook since it will be cold from the fridge. You can also substitute a different kind of sausage if you’d like.
Do your family a favor and start the morning with this dish from Gumbo Love…make them even happier and put a copy of Gumbo Love for them under the tree!
Andouille Baked Grits
Serves 8 to 10
Olive oil cooking spray
1 pound andouille sausage, quartered then chopped crosswise into rounds (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup hot coffee
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup very thinly sliced mushrooms
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
3 fresh tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon LuLu’s Crazy Creola Seasoning or other Creole seasoning
2 cups heavy cream
4 cups water
1 cup grits
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil spray.
2. Lightly coat a large heavy skillet with the olive oil spray. Add the sausage and cook over medium-high heat until very browned. You want pieces of it to stick to the pan.
3. Add the coffee to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits stuck to the pan and stirring them into the coffee. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
4. Add the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and jalapeno. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes. Uncover and simmer for a few minutes more to reduce the liquid.
6. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, the white pepper, sugar, and Creole seasoning. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, then turn off the heat.
7. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
8. Whisk the grits into the boiling liquid, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, whisking often, until the grits thicken.
9. Once the grits are thickened, add the sausage and vegetable mixture and mix well.
10. Pour the grits mixture into the prepared baking dish.
11. Top with the Gruyere and bake for 30 minutes.
12. Switch the oven to broil and broil for 3 minutes so the cheesy top turns golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving—when you first remove it from the oven, it’ll be as hot as a heat tile on the space shuttle, and unless you really want to injure your guests, it’s best to wait a few minutes.
