Clever items that make every day better

The Staple

Slowly simmered in milk or cream and inished with butter, a good pinch of salt, and a handful of grated Cheddar, grits are one of our favorite ways to round out a meal. In fact, they can stand in for lour or another grain just about anywhere. Cooked in coconut milk with a cinnamon stick and topped with dried fruit and chopped nuts, they make a luxurious dessert. Blend them with savory grated onion for lighter-than-air dumplings, perfect for soaking up your favorite chicken soup. They even add welcome texture to an easy herb-and-goat-cheese soulé. For grits with big corn lavor, look for heirloom varieties from the likes of Anson Mills. But the ideas on this page work just as well with the quick-cooking kind. Q u i c k I d e a s

1 G R I T S P U D D I N G Combine a 13.66-oz. can coconut milk, 1 cup water, 2 Tbsp. honey, and 1 cinnamon stick in a medium pot. Bring to a boil and stir in cup quick-cooking grits, cup chopped dried apricots, 2 Tbsp. golden raisins, and tsp. salt. Simmer, stirring often, until grits are tender, 6 minutes. Top with a drizzle of honey, chopped dried apricots, and chopped salted pistachios.

2 G R I T S D U M P L I N G S Whisk cup quick-cooking grits with cup all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. grated onion, and 1 tsp. baking powder. Bring cup milk, 3 Tbsp. butter, and tsp. salt to a boil in a small pot. Whisk in grits mixture and let stand 5 minutes; shape into 9 balls. Steam in a lightly greased steamer basket until puffy and slightly firm, 15 minutes. Serve dumplings in broth or soup.

3 G O AT C H E E S E G R I T S S O U F F L É S Bring 1 cup each water and milk to a boil. Stir in cup quick-cooking grits, 3 Tbsp. butter, 1 tsp. salt, and tsp. pepper. Simmer, stirring, until tender, 6 minutes. Whisk in 4 egg yolks, 4 oz. goat cheese, and 1 Tbsp. chopped chives. Beat 4 egg whites on high until stiff peaks form; fold whites into grits. Divide among 8 lightly greased 6-oz. ramekins. Bake at 425°F until puffed and golden, 15 minutes.

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