I grew up eating grits and love them so much that I’m now serving them at my restaurant, The Grey, in Savannah, Georgia. This dish combines the grits of my childhood with an onion gravy enjoyed during my time in New York City and with the foie gras I discovered during my travels in France. The dish elevates grits to a whole new and delicious level. One of the things that I love about cooking is that you are always learning something new, and the Jacques Pépin Foundation fosters that. I’m proud to be a part of that effort.

Foie and Grits

Recipe details

Serves

4

Part 1

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces chilled foie gras
  • Kosher salt
  • Grits, recipe follows
  • Onion gravy, recipe follows

Method

  1. Using a hot knife, cut the foie gras into four, 1 ½ ounce portions. Then, carefully score one side of each portion in a crosshatch pattern. Season generously with salt. Heat a small, heavy pan over high heat until very hot. Add the foie gras, scored side down, and cook until browned, 15 to 25 seconds. Make sure that the pan is hot and the foie gras is cold so that it browns before it has a chance to melt and render off too much fat. Remove the foie gras to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and allow it to rest and warm through, about 5 minutes.
  2. To serve, spoon the grits onto four warm plates, top with the foie gras and drizzle with the onion gravy around the grits. Sprinkle a little salt on the foie gras and serve immediately.

For the Grits

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup yellow stone ground grits
  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, cream and salt to a boil over high heat. Just before the cream comes to a boil and wants to overflow, rain in the grits and whisk until smooth. Return the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thick, creamy and fully cooked, about 45 minutes. Whisk in the butter, season with some pepper, and stir well.

For the Onion Gravy

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 quarts rich homemade chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or to taste
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the cloves, bay leaves and the chicken stock and cook until the mixture reduces to a thick syrupy liquid that coats the back of a spoon, about 45 minutes. This should yield about a half a cup of the reduced liquid/gravy. Add the tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or more to taste. Season with salt and pepper.