Early Girl Benny$10.00 Grit cakes topped with tomato, spinach, poached eggs, tomato gravy and avocado, served with toast or a homemade biscuit
Add country ham $1.00
That is the description straight off the menu from Early Girl in Ashville NC. Early Girl is a breakfast farm-to-table restaurant that is southern in style and hip in practice. I tried this because it seemed so foreign to me, what is tomato gravy anyway? Turns out, this meal is reminiscent of eggs benedict but uses totally different ingredients. There is a lot of prep for this but when you are finished you have something that's worth waking up to! IT is a fantastic way to use up old grits that didn't get eaten the day before.
Prep Time30 minsCook Time30 minsTotal Time1 hr
Grits cakes
3 cups water
½ tsp salt
1 cup hominy grits
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
Tomato Gravy
2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped (can use a 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes)
5 tablespoons bacon drippings
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups water (some prefer to use milk instead of water)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Assemble
1 canadian bacon, thick sliced ham
spinach leaves
½ sliced avacado
1 poached egg
1Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in the grits and continue to whisk for 1 minute. When the mixture comes to a boil again, turn the heat to low. Stir frequently, cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the grits from the heat and add pepper and butter; mix well. Stir until the butter and cheese are melted.
Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled 9 by 9-inch square pan or other shallow pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight, until firm.
Unmold the grits mixture and slice or cut into a circle with a cookie cutter.
2Cut up tomatoes in bowl. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and garlic powder and mix with a spoon. Put bacon drippings in a hot skillet on stovetop. Add flour and make a roux or cook until thick. Pour in tomatoes and water and cook until the consistency of gravy.
3While heating the gravy, fry the canadian bacon in a hot skillet. If the grits are cold heat up in the microwave until it is warmed. About 4 minutes on half power for one cake if pulled straight from the fridge. Poach the egg in just boiling hot water for about 2-3:30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
4Plate the dish by stacking in this order: grit cake, bacon, slice of tomato, a drizzle of tomato gravy, spinach, avocado slices, poached egg. Serve with toast.
Ingredients
Grits cakes
3 cups water
½ tsp salt
1 cup hominy grits
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
Tomato Gravy
2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped (can use a 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes)
5 tablespoons bacon drippings
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups water (some prefer to use milk instead of water)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Assemble
1 canadian bacon, thick sliced ham
spinach leaves
½ sliced avacado
1 poached egg
Directions
1Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in the grits and continue to whisk for 1 minute. When the mixture comes to a boil again, turn the heat to low. Stir frequently, cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the grits from the heat and add pepper and butter; mix well. Stir until the butter and cheese are melted.
Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled 9 by 9-inch square pan or other shallow pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight, until firm.
Unmold the grits mixture and slice or cut into a circle with a cookie cutter.
2Cut up tomatoes in bowl. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and garlic powder and mix with a spoon. Put bacon drippings in a hot skillet on stovetop. Add flour and make a roux or cook until thick. Pour in tomatoes and water and cook until the consistency of gravy.
3While heating the gravy, fry the canadian bacon in a hot skillet. If the grits are cold heat up in the microwave until it is warmed. About 4 minutes on half power for one cake if pulled straight from the fridge. Poach the egg in just boiling hot water for about 2-3:30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
4Plate the dish by stacking in this order: grit cake, bacon, slice of tomato, a drizzle of tomato gravy, spinach, avocado slices, poached egg. Serve with toast.
