Grits and Eggs offers crave-worthy scratch menu dining experiences in the morning, from catfish and fried chicken to NOLA-style beignets - this Black woman-owned spot in Atlanta is truly one of its hidden gems!
Add an egg to grits for an even creamier experience! The hot grits will gently cook it into a delicious, decadent sauce that sticks to the ribs like an adhesive bandage.
Shrimp and grits
Shrimp and grits is a classic combination found throughout coastal Southern cuisine. Much like polenta, its creamy consistency allows you to customize its sweetness or savoryness according to your mood and the dish it's being served alongside.
This traditional Low Country recipe pairs bacon with stone ground cheese-flavored grits to create the ultimate comfort food dish.
To create the grits, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and generously salt it before stirring in your grits and simmering them until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, add your cheddar cheese and butter, mixing together until everything has combined and melted; set aside to keep warm.
Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once heated, add sausage and cook until browned for approximately 3 minutes before adding shrimp, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt and garlic (if desired) and saute until shrimp turns bright pink and is completely cooked through, another 3 minutes. Finally, to finish up, divide grits among bowls before topping each one with the shrimp mixture!
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is an extravagant breakfast item sure to please, made by layering a lightly-toasted English muffin half with Canadian bacon or ham slices and then poaching an egg until it reaches perfection, before covering the dish in rich Hollandaise sauce for extra flair.
Add an interesting twist by replacing Canadian bacon with smoked salmon or vegetable-based ingredients, like spinach or artichoke hearts for vegetarian versions of this classic dish. Or try Eggs Florentine which features simmered buttered spinach as the central feature.
To create the ideal poached egg, don't add salt to the water. Instead, use kitchen roll or paper towel to absorb any extra liquid before taking them from the pot. For best results when making ahead, shock them in cold water after they have been cooked before refrigerating them until serving time - this will prevent their yolks from spreading apart when chilled in the fridge. For an exquisite Hollandaise sauce, slowly drizzle melted butter onto egg yolks spoon by spoon. This ensures it doesn't curdle under pressure!
Chicken and waffles
Combining the salty crunch of fried chicken and the sweet indulgence of waffle drizzled in maple syrup for an indulgent brunch or lunch menu option. Enjoy it alongside fresh fruit, buttery grits or hearty collard greens as sides.
Although many consider chicken and waffles a traditional Southern dish, its precise origin remains uncertain. Likely the dish evolved through an amalgamation of culinary traditions between European settlers and African-American slaves in America.
Wells Supper Club in Harlem, New York first made this dish famous during the 1930s for feeding late-night jazz musicians who would stop by after performances. Later it evolved into Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles where their signature dish can now be found featured in several Hollywood movies as well as popular with celebrity customers such as Snoop Dogg and Drake.
Beignets
Beignets were first brought to Louisiana by Acadians and are square pieces of fried dough covered with powdered sugar. Although the dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator overnight before being fried fresh the following morning, beignets should be enjoyed while hot with plenty of powdered sugar sprinkled all over them for the optimal experience.
Make sure that both water and milk are at an ideal lukewarm temperature for yeast activation; water that's too hot or too cold could kill off your yeast altogether. Also ensure your dough has been rolled to an optimal thickness; too thin dough could lead to crispy rather than soft results when fried.
Heat some inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan to approximately 350 degrees, testing its readiness by placing a small piece of dough in it; if it puffs up and turns golden brown, the oil is ready. Fry 2-3 beignets at a time in batches of 2-3; turn with tongs when turning them, until light golden brown on all sides and drain on paper towels before dusting generously with powdered sugar before serving.
