From the Kitchen of… Fuse Aiken: Jalapeño and Ham Grits
An Interview and recipe with Chris Najmola
Ingredients
- 1 cup stone-ground yellow grits, Anson Mills preferred
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups water (pro move: use chicken stock instead)
- 1 jalapeño
- 3 oz Benton’s Country Ham, sliced thin
- 1 tbsp salt
- black pepper to taste
Tools:
- 2 gallon stock pot
- wooden spoon
- whisk
- tasting spoons
Gather all your ingredients and tools before you begin.
Hold the jalapeño at the stem. Cut the bottom half of the jalapeño off for mild flavor. Cut higher up and closer to the stem for increasing heat. Slice the desired area of jalapeño as thin as possible. Like it hot and decide to include the seeds? No worries — the grits will cook long enough to disintegrate them.
Next, get your saucepan or stock pot nice and warm before doing anything else —I’d say 7 out of 10 on the dial.
Add the ham — the pan should be warm enough to make it something to fry in immediately.
Add the jalapeños — resist the urge to push them around for a minute or two while they brown and caramelization begins.
Add the heavy whipping cream and chicken stock. Stir, and reduce the heat to a simmer, 2 or 3 on the dial.
Add 1/2 tbsp salt, raise the heat to high, and get the whisk and grits ready.
When the liquid comes to a boil, start whisking in the grits. Keep the heat up and whisk continuously for 1 – 2 minutes until bubbles form.
Turn the heat down to a simmer, and let the grits cook for a long time, about an hour. Stir every 5 minutes for the first 20 minutes, then stir every 10 minutes for the remaining time.
As you approach the end of the hour, grab some tasting spoons and taste the recipe. Keep cooking until grits are soft, luxurious, and no longer firm to the tooth — until they evoke emotion.
When finished, add the remaining salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with thin slices of jalapeños and a thin slice of ham.
Enjoy what is a simple Southern staple with a Fuse flavor bomb added.
4:1
For reconstituting grains, the rule to follow is a 4:1 liquid to dry ratio.
This recipe is a staple. The better the quality of grits and choice of liquids, the better the results. This recipe serves 4 healthy portions or 6 sides. In the restaurant we use quarts instead of cups, and 4 quarts of liquid with 1 quart of grits provides us with 40 servings.
What is next?
Now that we have built what I believe to be a firm foundation, it’s our plan to begin offering pairings. Whether it be wine, beer, or cocktails, we would course out dinners that pair dishes with complementing spirits. These would combine the best of both worlds — our kitchen and our bar.
What is love for you?
My wife and mother of my child, Keri.
Dry aged beef, specifically aged 30 days.
A new song, a new ingredient, basically the spirit of exploration.
What is the next challenge?
Chef Chad of Whiskey Alley — I am formally calling you out and challenging you to a wienie roast! I love that I am across the Alley from a chef who is not only passionate, but who has been carrying the torch of credibility in Aiken for as long as he has.
