Blue Corn Grits, Goat Cheese, Baby Arugula, Roasted Carrots and
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Chef George Brown,
George Brown Catering, Dallas, Texas
Serves 8
Tomatoes
| 1 lb. |
assorted heirloom tomatoes, washed, trimmed, sliced/cut, set to the side (variety of sizes and colors of tomatoes) |
To taste |
fleur de sel |
Blue Corn Grits
| 1/4 c. |
Blue Homestead grits |
3/4 c. |
water |
1 tsp. |
kosher salt |
4 oz. |
butter, whole, unsalted |
In a small pot with a lid, add blue grits, water and salt. Whisk to combine and bring to a boil; then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Stir often. Remembering to scrape bottom well. Finish with whole butter. Serve immediately when done.
Roast Carrots
| 8 |
baby heirloom carrots, cleaned (save nice carrot tops to pick and add to arugula mix for garnish) |
|
olive oil |
|
cracked black pepper and kosher salt |
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil carrots with olive oil, then season with cracked black pepper and kosher salt. On a sheet pan sprayed with non-stick spray, oven roast carrots until caramelized. Let stand until ready to assemble salads.
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
| ¼ c. |
Sparrow Lane apple cider vinegar |
1 |
lemon, juiced and zested |
1 T. |
honey, from Marshall’s Farm Honey |
1 |
shallot, minced |
1 clove |
garlic, minced |
¾ c. |
extra virgin olive oil |
|
fleur de sel |
|
Tellicherry black peppercorns, fresh cracked |
In a mixing bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and zest, honey, shallot and garlic. With a whisk, slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil. Season with fleur de sel and fresh cracked black pepper. Refrigerate or use immediately.
Baby Arugula
3 oz. |
baby arugula, picked, washed, dried, keep cold and reserve for assembling salad |
Other Garnishes
| 3 oz. |
Skyhill goat cheese, crumbled |
.25 oz. |
micro basil, picked, washed, dried |
.25 oz. |
seasonal edible blossoms, picked |
2 oz. |
pine nuts, seasoned, toasted, lightly chopped |
With a big serving spoon, put 1 oz. of hot grits smeared across the center of the plate. Grits can be par cooked and cooled then reheated at time of service as needed. Shingle a portion of seasoned tomatoes over the grit smear. Make sure not to cover the grits as you want their nice color to be seen.
Place a roasted baby carrot on top of tomatoes.
Toss arugula with carrot tops then top tomatoes with a small pinch of arugula. Top arugula with micro basil, parsley, toasted pine nuts and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle cider vinaigrette over the top and around the salad. Approximately ¾ to 1 oz. of vinaigrette.
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