Pimento Cheese Grits Soufflé
This recipe was a winner in our recipe contest for side dishes, submitted by Felice Bogus of Raleigh, NC.
"Make sure the shrimp are fresh, the cheese is sharp, and the grits are from The Old Mill, and you’ll have a brunch dish the family will ask for over and over again." — Felice Bogus
We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Yield: 4 Servings
PIMENTO CHEESE GRITS SOUFFLE
Ingredients
Soufflé
- 1 ½ c. water
- ½ c. half-and-half
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ c. The Old Mill White Grits
- 3 eggs, separated
- ¾ c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimientos, drained and patted dry
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- Dash Worcestershire sauce
- Dash Tabasco
- 2 ½ Tbs. thinly sliced scallions
Shrimp Sauce
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 6 oz. small shrimp, peeled (if shrimp are large, cut into halves or thirds)
- 1 tsp. chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tsp. chopped basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and generously butter a 2-qt. casserole dish.
- In a large, heavy saucepan bring water, half-and-half, and salt to a boil. Stir in the grits, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until grits are thick and creamy, about 20 minutes.
- Beat the egg yolks well. Beat in a large spoonful of hot grits and stir the egg mixture into the grits to temper the yolks. Stir in the cheese, pimientos, butter, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let mixture cool to nearly room temperature.
- Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold whites and scallions into the grits and transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole. Bake 30 – 40 minutes, or until the grits are set. If the soufflé begins to overbrown, cover with foil.
- When soufflé is nearly done, melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and sauté 3 – 4 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Stir in chopped herbs.
- Spoon sauce over individual servings of soufflé.