Cooking Instructions
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Step 2
Cut the head of
Garlic (1 head)
crosswise at the pointy end, trimming about 1/4-1/2 inch so that the interior of the cloves are exposed.
Step 3
Drizzle
Olive Oil (as needed)
over the garlic and wrap it in aluminum foil. Bake for 40-50 minutes until soft. Let cool.
Step 4
While the garlic is roasting, rinse the
Polenta Grits (170 g)
with cool water, stirring to separate any loose chaff and hulls. Hold your hand on the edge of the bowl to drain the water and loose particles, but hold the grits in the bowl.
Step 5
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring
Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (960 mL)
and
Fresh Thyme (5 sprigs)
to a boil.
Step 6
Whisk in the grits and once the liquid returns to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and stir frequently 30-35 minutes, until thick and creamy. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as the grits cook, so they don't stick.
Step 7
Peel apart the garlic once cooled. Holding a clove of garlic from the bottom, squeeze out the roasted garlic onto a cutting board. Repeat for each clove. Chop the cloves roughly and use the side of the knife to smear the garlic into a paste.
Step 8
Add the garlic paste to the grits and whisk in until thoroughly combined.
Step 9
Add
Half and Half (120 mL)
,
Fontina Cheese (110 g)
,
Cheddar Cheese (120 g)
,
Salt (3 g)
,
Freshly Ground Black Pepper (as needed)
, and
Hot Sauce (5 dashes)
. Stir until cheese is melted.
Step 10
At this point, you can hold the grits covered in a pot until you're ready to eat them (they will continue to thicken as they cool). Rewarm them to serve, garnished with additional cheese and hot sauce if desired.
