Chef's Kitchen

Each month, a guest chef gives us a tip that elevates their cooking or simplifies things in the kitchen; something a home cook might not know. They also provide a recipe that uses the tip, so you can practice at home. Our guest chef this month is Chef Mike Law of Rapport on Capitol Hill. Rapport offers coffee, espresso, drinks, and delicious food. It's all great, but the real fun is the self-serve wine and beer and the fun of pairing it with the food. Different sips, different bites.

Mike was born and raised in the south and introduced to southern and Dominican cooking by his Dominican-born mother and grandmother. His lifelong love of food has led him become an expert in butchery, charcuterie, smoke, pastry, and trained in creation of artisan cheese. He has traveled internationally and brought his elevated culinary experience to The Wandering Goose, Bourbon & Bones, and now Rapport.

Making your own grits takes your dishes to a higher level, by Chef Mike Law

1. Soak grits overnight to start the hydration process in advance of the cooking. This will help them cook faster and retain more of their corn flavor.

2. While cooking, use a silicone spatula - it's the perfect tool for this job.

3. It takes time and attention, but cook and stir often until grits are tender. Once tender, they lose their harsh bite.

Heirloom Grits

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups heirloom grits (we use Anson Mills)
• 8 cups cold water
• 2-3 bay leaves (fresh is best)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1 lemon
• Butter, to taste

Method

1. Place the grits in a bowl and cover with the water. Soak overnight; you're starting the hydration process in advance of the cooking, which will help them both cook faster, and retain more of their corn flavor.

2. Quickly skim any hulls or chaff that have risen to the top of the water, and then pour everything - water and grits - into a large pot over high heat. With a silicone spatula (you can use a wooden spoon if you like, but humor him if you can - this tool is actually perfect for the job), stir like mad until the mixture comes to a boil.

3. Skim any hulls or chaff that have risen to the top of the water, and then pour everything, into a large pot over high heat. With a wooden spoon , stir vigorously until the mixture comes to a boil.

4. As soon as it boils, cover the pot and take it off the heat for ten minutes. Put grits back over low heat, uncovered, and add the bay. Cook for an hour, stirring often, until the grits are tender and have lost their harsh bite.

5. Once grits are done, remove the bay leaves and season to taste with salt, lemon juice, and butter. Serve with additional butter and hot sauce, if you like.

Notes:

• Use these grits in any way you please.
• We serve them with our low country shrimp (see photo above), a dish I grew up with in North Carolina that includes mushrooms, bacon, shallots, garlic, white wine, and butter.

Rapport
700 Broadway E
Seattle, WA 98102
206-705-9500

www.rapportseattle.com

February 2021