By Summer. Rémy turns ten in a few months and has announced that for his birthday he wants to cook the ENTIRE dinner. Not help. Not assist. COOK. The entire dinner. For the family. By himself. I said, "What are you going to make?" He said, "Gumbo." I said, "The whole thing?" He said, "The whole thing." He's nine. He wants to make gumbo. From scratch. Dark roux. Four hours. The whole thing. Danielle looked at me. I looked at Danielle. We both knew what the other was thinking: let him try. He's ready. He's been ready.
Made a summer corn and crawfish succotash — fresh corn, crawfish tails, butter beans, trinity, tossed in butter and Cajun seasoning. A side dish that could be a main course, the kind of food that only exists in Louisiana in summer when the corn is sweet and the crawfish are still around and the butter beans are fat and green and the everything tastes like the sun condensed into a vegetable.
That succotash came together the way the best summer food does — fast, instinctive, nothing measured twice — and it had me thinking about all the Southern sides that deserve a permanent seat at the table, not just the ones that show up when company comes. Rémy has been watching me cook long enough to know that a great dinner is built on great sides, and if he’s going to run this kitchen in a few months, he needs to know that too. These chile cheese grits are exactly the kind of dish I want him to have in his back pocket: humble ingredients, big payoff, and the kind of low-and-slow patience that turns something simple into something people remember.
Chile Cheese Grits
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add the salt.
- Cook the grits. Slowly whisk in the grits, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 20–25 minutes until thick and creamy. If grits begin to stick, add water 1/4 cup at a time.
- Add the fat and cheese. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the butter until melted, then fold in the cheddar and Pepper Jack cheeses until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Season and add chiles. Stir in the diced green chiles, cayenne, garlic powder, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Finish with sour cream. Fold in the sour cream to add creaminess and a slight tang. Stir until evenly combined.
- Serve immediately. Spoon into bowls or a serving dish and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve hot alongside grilled proteins or Cajun mains.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg